AUSTRALIAN KIRSTEN RUDGELY WINS THE 2021 HELEN HOLM TROPHY - 8 Scots in top 20

Kirsten Rudgeley carded a closing six under par 66 to storm through the field and become the first Australian to claim the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open title.

Rudgeley, from Perth, Western Australia, started the final round at Royal Troon Portland Course four shots off the pace set by Scotland’s Hannah Darling but she quickly got in her stride with birdies on the third and fifth before vaulting into the lead with further birdies at the 11th, 15th and 16th.

A sixth birdie of the day on the 18th saw her complete a bogey-free round and in the end her 12 under par 204 aggregate was enough to claim a one shot victory over Darling and 2019 Women’s Amateur champion Emily Toy from England.

It also meant that Scotland’s long victory drought in this championship was extended by another year.

It is now some 19 years since Heather Stirling became the last Scot to lift the Helen Holm trophy all the way back in 2002.

Local Royal Troon member Hazel MacGarvie also posted a 70 to finish in fifth place on eight under par while Scottish Women’s Amateur champion Chloe Goadby carded a 74 to drop from second to sixth.

Also of note was Clara Young (North Berwick) , Louise Duncan (West Kilbride) and Lorna McClymont (Milngavie) who finished in 8th, 10th and 11th place respectively.

Scottish Scores  (West of Scotland players in Bold) --  

-12 Kirsten Rudgeley (Australia)  -Winning Score

2nd = Hannah Darling (Broomieknowe) -11

5th:  Hazel MacGarvie (Royal Troon) -8

6th : Chloe Goadby (St Regulus)

8th: Jasmine MacKintosh (Murcar), Clara Young (North Berwick)

10th Louise Duncan (West Kilbride)

11th: Lorna McClymont (Milngavie)

13th:  Carmen Griffiths (Aboyne)

20th: Shannon McWilliams (Aboyne)

23rd : Tara Mactaggart (Minto GC), Megan Ashley (Blairgowrie)

28th: Carianne Taylor ( Nairn), Louisa Gibson Junior (Irvine Golf Club)

38th Jennifer RankIne (Haggs Castle Golf Club)

41st: Megan Robb (Banchory)

44th: Robyn Fowlie (Forfar)

46th: Katie Graham (Hamilton Golf Club)

50th: Grace Crawford (West Links Junior Golf Club)

53rd: Katie Wright ( Stranraer Golf Club)

58th Carys Irvine ( Craigielaw) 

Final Scoreboard -- Click Here

To read the file report from Scottish Golf -- CLICK HERE

HANNAH DARLING LEADS BY ONE AFTER DAY 2 OF THE HELEN HOLM TROPHY

 Scotland’s Hannah Darling holds a slender one shot lead over compatriot Chloe Goadby heading into the final round of the 2021 Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open at Royal Troon Portland Course.

17-year-old Darling carded a second successive five under par 67 to finish the day on ten under par 134 but a couple of hours later was nearly caught by new Scottish Women’s Amateur champion Goadby who birdied the last for the second day in a row to post her own 67 and go into the final round on 135. 

Darling started the day with a dropped shot at the 458-yard par four first hole but then birdied the second, sixth and ninth to go out in 33 before carding four birdies and a bogey coming home to give herself a great chance of becoming the first Scot to lift the trophy since Heather Stirling all the way back in 2002.  

“It was good out there,” said the in-form Darling, a two-time Scottish Girls’ champion who won the Recent St Rule Trophy at St Andrews and then reached the semi-finals at both the Scottish Women’s Amateur and the Women’s Amateur Championship. 

Goadby will also be confident she can end Scotland’s long winless drought after beating Darling on the way to claiming her first Scottish Women’s title at the start of this month at Gullane.

The former Stirling University student stormed home with five birdies in her last seven holes to add a 67 to her opening 68 and believes she is in great shape to claim a rare Scottish double. 

MacGarvie will not be short of local support after carding a 68 while Duncan eagled the last on her way to posting a two under par 70.

The cut fell at eleven over par 155 with 60 players progressing to the final round tomorrow.

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