Louise Duncan cruises for the R&A Women’s Amateur Championship
Louise Duncan, a Stirling University student from West Kilbride, had an easy stroll to the R&A Women’s Amateur at Kilmarnock Barassie Golf Club on Saturday and defeated Icelander Johanna Lea Ludviksdottir, 9 & 8, making it the first Scottish woman to take the coveted title since 1997, as Alison Rose the trophy.
Duncan took advantage of an Eagle-3 on Par-5 11 and won the last four holes of the morning round to build a five-hole lead during his lunch break. She started the afternoon round with another eagle on the par-5, first 6-up, before finally hitting Ludviksdottir on Aug.
Duncan’s profit margin was the largest in the event’s long history, dwarfing Joyce Wetherhed’s 9 & 7 win over Carol Leitch in the 1922 final at Royal St. George’s. She is the 17th Scottish woman to win the championship.
“I definitely wasn’t entirely confident when I got into the week,” said Duncan. “My first goal was to get through the match-play phase and see what happens from there, but I didn’t think I could get that far.”
The win earns Duncan exceptions for the AIG Women’s Open and traditionally the US Women’s Open, Evian Championship, and Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship.
Congratulations @LouiseeDuncan, Amateur champions 2021
Louise wins with 9 & 8, a record win of pic.twitter.com/pdrRE7weYg
– The R&A (@RandA) June 12, 2021
“It’s mental, I can’t believe it,” she said of these rewards. “It’s ridiculous and I’m over the moon.”
Duncan reached the championship game by telling his compatriot Hannah Darling the first Icelandic female golfer to reach the final of the Women’s Amateur Championship on the 19th.
Results: British amateur ladies
See full results for Ladies British Amateur
ABOUT THE British amateur ladies
This championship, along with the US Women’s Amateur Golf Championship, is considered the most important in women’s amateur golf.
The first phase of the championship features 144 players, each playing two rounds of 18 holes. The 64 lowest scores across the 36 holes will compete against each other in the match play phase of the championship. Each game consists of a round of 18 holes, including the final.
The championship winner will be awarded the Pam Barton Memorial Salver, while the runner-up will receive the Diana Fishwick Cup. An international team award is awarded after the stroke play qualification rounds.
