Annabel Wilson tied second in Ladies' British Open Amateur Stroke Play
Annabel Wilson
Lurgan’s Annabel Wilson finished tied for second behind Sweden’s Linn Grant after a brave final day battle in the Ladies' British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at North Berwick.
Three shots behind England’s Gemma Clews heading into Friday’s final 36 holes, teenager Wilson four herself six shots behind eventual winner Grant with one hole of her morning round remaining.
But she refused to give up and made a long bomb for an eagle two at the 18th to card a 75 and go into the final round four behind the Swede on one-over par.
She then started her final round with three successive birdies and was level with Grant and four under for the round with just six holes to go when three successive bogeys from the 13th put paid to her hopes.
While she birdied the 16th to close with a two-under 71 for a one-under par total of 291, Grant birdied her final two holes to close with a 72 and win by three strokes on four-under 288 from the Lurgan star and England’s Hannah Screen.
Remarkably, Grant's win came 49 years after her grandfather, James Grant of Inverness, won the Scottish Boys Championship over the same East Lothian links.
It was also a season’s Scottish double for the 18-year-old from Helsingborg, who had her father John as her caddie.
Caption: Linn Grant won the Ladies British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at North Berwick.
Back in April, she won the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open Stroke Play Championship at Royal Troon.
Grant, who carded a second round 68 yesterday, the lowest round of the championship, was one ahead after a third round 71 but one behind Screen at the turn and still one adrift with six holes to play.
While others faltered in the testing, blustery conditions, the young Swede produced a stunning finish, holing from 12 feet for a birdie at the 17th before driving the green at the par four 18th to set up another birdie.
Last month, Grant enjoyed a career highlight when she competed for Team Europe in the Junior Solheim Cup.
Screen and Wilson tied for second place on a one-under-par total of 291 with Olivia Winning in fourth place on a one-over-par total of 293.
Screen, from Berkhamsted Golf Club, was in the hunt all the way but bogeys at the 16th and 17th forced her to for the share of second place after a 74.
Grant said: “This win is definitely right up there with the best things I have done in my career. It is amazing to win over the same course where my grandfather won in 1958.
“I am still at High School in Helsingborg, but next year I am going to college in America. Eventually, I definitely want to turn professional.”
Clandeboye’s Jessica Ross (76, 72) was 12th on 11-over 303 with Hermitage’s Ciara Casey (77-76) tied 22nd on 309.
Lisburn’s Paula Grant (82, 83) fell back to tied 25th on 311 with Forrest Little’s Julie McCarthy (81, 78), and Killarney’s Valerie Clancy (79, 80) tied 34th on 314.
Douglas’ Sara Byrne (87, 84) was 41st on 323 while Cork’s Rachel Thompson, Lahinch’s Sinead Sexton and Royal Portrush’s Emma Forbes missed the 36-hole cut.
