Duncan keeps her cool / Smyth Salver winner pleased to take pressure in her stride

 FROM THE AIG WOMEN'S OPEN WEBSITE  - Anna 

Nordqvist wins AIG Women's Open

 

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FINAL LEADERBOARD AT CARNOUSTIE

WATCH INTERVIEW VIDEOS OF LOUISE AND ANNA - (The Daily Show) CLICK HERE -- plus interview video at end of post

Louise Duncan was delighted with the way she handled the increasing pressure and attention during the course of an unforgettable week at Carnoustie.

The 21-year-old Scot shot a level-par 72 on the final day to share in a tie for 10^th and received a rapturous reception from her home crowd as she made her way over the Barry Burn to the 18^th green.

The Women’s Amateur Champion now has more silverware for her collection having lifted the Smyth Salver – awarded to the leading amateur at the AIG Women’s Open.

It was a trophy lifted by newly-crowned Champion Anna Nordqvist in 2008 and Duncan’s performance has given her confidence she can take the increased expectations in her stride.

“I thought I handled it very well,” she said. “I thought I would crumble a wee bit but I seemed to hold my nerve out there and played well on the last day, which was ultimately my goal. 

“It will maybe take a couple weeks to sink in. I feel over the moon with how I played and how I handled it. 

“I had a great time, and yeah, really happy with how I played the past four days.

“It gives me a big confidence boost. I'll take this into my next few events and into next year as well.”

Duncan signalled her intent with a four-under 68 on the opening day at Carnoustie and, having comfortably made the cut, surged into Championship contention by repeating the trick on Saturday.

Resuming two shots adrift of the overnight leaders, a birdie at the first got her final round off to the perfect start before back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11, each greeted by hearty roars from the Scottish faithful, kept the fairytale dream alive.

The University of Stirling student could not make further inroads and bogeyed two of the testing final three holes but that did not stop her savouring the experience.

The Curtis Cup is next up from Thursday and, beyond that, Duncan admits she will now have to consider her options as she weighs up turning professional.

“I'm not entirely sure what's going to happen over the next year, year and a half or whatever,” she said.

“I’ve still got a couple years left at Uni and the amount of time I've been at Uni, I think I need a degree out of it.

“I don't really know what the plan is and I’ll have to sit down and have a wee think about it.

“[This week has been] outstanding, pretty surreal and yeah, just dead exciting.

“The 18th there, just the crowd cheering, I really appreciated the support. To have the fans behind me, it's been great.”

A Couple of photos from a fan - Courtesy of Susan Wood (Drumpellier) Scottish Girls -- Team Captain

Susan and Winner Anna

Susan and leading Amateur Louise

Louise Duncan - Top Ten Finish is mind-blowing - Report by Martin Dempster (The Scotsman)

The Scotsman

23 Aug 2021

By MARTIN DEMPSTER

Louise Duncan said she felt “mind-blown” after the 21-year-old West Kilbride amateur capped a week to remember with a top-10 finish behind Anna Nordqvist in the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie.

Playing against the pros for the first time in her career, Duncan had the home fans roaring as she started her final round with a birdie before going on to close with a level-par 72 for a seven-under 281 total.

The sensational effort earned the Women’s Amateur champion a tie for 10th, becoming the first Scot since Monifieth’s Kathryn Imrie in 1988 to claim the Smyth Salver as leading amateur and the first to do so since it became a major.

“I feel a bit mind-blown, as if it’s not happened yet,” admitted Duncan. “It will maybe take a couple of weeks to sink in. I feel over the moon about how I played and handled it. I had a great time and I am really happy how I played over the four days.

“I don’t know what the expectation was but it has definitely been exceeded. I couldn’t have written the week any better. I’m glad it’s not a fluke and I played well all four days.”

Duncan, who started the dayjusttwoshotsoffthelead after delighting the home fans with a stirring Saturday effort in the rain, received a huge cheer as she appeared on the first tee ahead of her 2.25pm tee time.

Playing alongside Swede Madalene Sagstrom in the third last group, the Scot calmed any nerves she may have had by safely finding the fairway with an iron, then raising an even bigger roar than the earlier one as she calmly rolled in an eightfooter for an opening birdie.

With Scottish Amateur champion Angus Carrick and Scottish Women’s Amateur runner-up Tara Mactaggart among those watching on, Duncan split the fairway with her drive at the second and wasn’t far away from making it a birdie-birdie start from around 15 feet.

Most players were taking an iron to lay up short of the two fairway bunkers at the third, but not Duncan. Oozing with confidence, she flew the trouble to leave herself with just a wedge. A bit heavy-handed with that, her putting touch was exquisite as a par-4 went down on the card.

That was repeated at the next, where a testing threefooter was confidently converted, before a 10-foot birdie chance went a-begging at the fifth after she’d taken dead aim at the flag on the back tier.

Duncan’s average driving distance heading into the final round had been 283 yards, bettered only by Lexi Thompson, while the Scot was tied for 22nd for fairways hit with an average of 67 per cent.

Duncan dropped her first shot of the day after being left off the tee at the ninth, then right behind a bunker with her approach,

But, not for the first time during the week, the Ayrshirewoman showed she’s made of stern stuff.

Only the second player to achieve the feat in the final round, she made a brilliant birdie from 15 feet at the 10th before making it back-toback gains with a two-putt 3 at the next, where the tee had been moved up to make the green driveable.

Four straight pars were followed by a bogey-4 at the 16th before she then dropped a shot at the last, but the rapturous reception for her at the end said it all. Scottish golf has a new star.

Louise Duncan is only 2 Shots off the top of the leaderboard at Carnoustie on Day 3 of the British AIG Championship at Carnoustie

The Women's Amateur Champion Louise Duncan (Ayrshire LGGA and West Kilbride) excelled once more today with a round of 68 in the 3rd round of the Women's AIG Championship at Carnoustie to finish on 7 under -- 2 shots behind the leaders

 

CLICK HERE FOR THE LEADERBOARD

IF YOU CLICK ON HER NAME ON THE LEADERBOARD AND THEN ON HIGHLIGHTS YOU WILL GET A 60 SECOND VIDEO OF HER HIGHLIGHTS TODAY AND AN INTERVIEW AT THE END OF HER ROUND

Videos when you click on highlights after clicking 
on Louise Duncan's name on the leaderboard

An ecstatic Louise Duncan revelled in the backing of the home crowd after her dream week at Carnoustie continued with another outstanding performance in round three.

The reigning Women’s Amateur Champion enhanced her chances of completing a remarkable double triumph by shooting a four-under 68 on Saturday.

At seven-under for the Championship, the 21-year-old trails leaders Anna Nordqvist and Nanna Koerstz Madsen by just two shots and will play in the third-last group in the final round.

“It’s not really sunk in, to be honest. I don’t really know what I’ve just done. I just really enjoyed it out there,” said Duncan after matching the opening-day score that thrust her into the limelight.

After surging into contention with the aid of five birdies, Duncan fired a stunning approach into the final hole and was afforded a rapturous reception as she crossed the Barry Burn.

“It was special. It doesn’t get much better than that, really,” she added.

“To come over that bridge, it was all very surreal and I loved every moment of it. It felt great, to have everyone supporting me and cheering me on like that is just phenomenal, and I couldn’t thank everyone enough

“My phone’s been going absolutely mental, along with my socials as well. It’s great to have all the support and have all of Scotland behind me.”

Another standout moment for Duncan came on the 15th, where she holed a lengthy birdie putt to the delight of the spectators gathered around the green.

“I’d missed a couple of relatively short ones the past two holes for birdies, so I felt like I was kind of due a long one,” she explained.

Duncan is firmly on course to claim the Smyth Salver after opening up a commanding lead over the two other amateurs to make the cut, Lauren Walsh and Annabell Fuller.

Yet an even bigger prize could yet come Duncan’s way on Sunday as she seeks to become the first amateur to win the AIG Women’s Open since Marta Figueras-Dotti at Royal Birkdale in 1982.

The youngster knows she will be nervous as she chases victory, but the events of the last three days provide her with increased belief.

“It gives me a bit of confidence, to know that I actually can go out there and play well on a big stage in front of quite a few folk,” she added.

“I wouldn’t say (I feel) pressure, but I’d definitely say nerves. I’ve spoken about it all week.

“They’re definitely there and they still are there. I don’t think they’ll go away tomorrow either. Just being able to handle it, taking a few deep breaths before every shot has really helped.”

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LOUISE DUNCAN’S REMAINS IN CONTENTION AFTER ROUND 2

The dream continues for Scotland's Louise Duncan (West Kilbride) despite not quite matching the heights of her opening-day 68 but remains in contention entering the weekend after a 2nd round of 73 to finish  -3 after Day 2 at the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie. 

Leading after the 2nd round on 7 under is  American Mina Harigue and Georgia Hall the 2018 Ricoh British Champion who Louise played with in both rounds.

Georgia said she can see something of herself in the 21-year-old Scot.

"I think she's a lot like me,” she said. “Quite quiet, just lets her golf do the talking. 

“She's a very natural golfer. She just goes up and hits it which I think is a lot like me, too. She's an amazing talent and it was really nice to play with her.”

LEADERBOARD

West of Scotland's Louise Duncan has wonderful round on DAY 1 of the AIG Women's Open at Carnoustie

Amateur Louise Duncan (West Kilbride) is playing in the AIG Women's Open over Carnoustie after qualifying by winning the 2021 British Women's Amateur Championship  in June

She had a 68 - 4 under par and played the 18th beautifully from tee to green and two-putted for a closing par. A day to remember for the young Scot, who is in pole position for the Smyth Salver and only one behind the leaders.

Other Scots playing are Kylie Walker, Kelsey MacDonald, Gemma Dryburgh and Catriona Matthew

CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING LINK--   LEADERBOARD

From the AIG Website  -- AND LISTEN TO HER POST ROUND INTERVIEW

Louise Duncan was understandably elated after overcoming her nerves to shoot a fantastic 68 on day one of the AIG Women’s Open.

The Women’s Amateur Champion had acknowledged in the build-up to her major debut that she was feeling the pressure of competing on the biggest stage.

Yet Duncan looked totally at home on the famous Carnoustie links as she went round in four under to trail leaders Nelly Korda, Madelene Sagstrom and Sei Young Kim by just a single stroke.

“I played great,” said a smiling Duncan after her magnificent performance.

“I was happy to get it off the first and find the fairway … but I played steady all the way round, putted well and hit the ball really nice.

"It’s a bit surreal really, to be playing with the best players in the world and some really big names. It’s all a bit mad.

“I don’t really know how I managed to keep (my nerves) under control. I just tried to find the clubface really.”

The highlight of Duncan’s day came at the par-5 14th, where she followed back-to-back birdies by holing a 30-foot eagle putt to spark roars of delight from spectators.

“That was a great feeling. I wouldn’t have ever pictured that, to be fair, but it was brilliant, and to hear all the crowd, it’s a different experience to anything I’ve ever had,” added the 21-year-old Scot.

Her opening-day score matched the performance of illustrious playing partner and 2018 AIG Women’s Open Champion Georgia Hall, who provided a helping hand on Duncan’s big day.

“Playing with Georgia, she really settled me in there,” added Duncan. “She was lovely and chatted to me quite a bit. It definitely helped with the nerves.

“I think it was about the eighth hole when I started to calm down a wee bit, but it was great to play with Georgia. She was really lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

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

Alison Davidson on golfing friendships meaning more than titles

Alison Davidson, back left, with fellow Scots Mhairi McKay, back right, and Janice Moodie, front,
after helping Great Britain & Ireland win the 1996 Curtis Cup at Killarney.

By Martin Dempster (The Scotsman) 

Until a fortnight ago, Alison Davidson was the last Scottish player to have been crowned as the R&A Women’s Amateur champion, having landed the prize at Cruden Bay in 1994.

Only time will tell what lies ahead in the game for Louise Duncan after she ended Scotland’s drought in the event, but Davidson has shown that satisfaction can be found by staying in the amateur ranks.

The Stirling woman never even gave turning professional consideration at the height of a career that also saw her win four points out of four in a Curtis Cup and insists she has no regrets whatsoever.

How did you feel when West Kilbride’s Louise Duncan became the first Scot since then to claim the title with her recent win at Kilmarnock (Barassie)?

AD: It was nice to have that title of being the last Scot to win the British Amateur, but it was time someone else won it and I am absolutely thrilled for Louise. I think Scottish golf is in a great place right now and hopefully Louise can move on and, fingers crossed, we can have some Scots in the Curtis Cup later this year, if it goes ahead. Twenty-four years is a long time and it had to happen at some point, though I am surprised it took so long (laughing).

You might already have partly answered this one, but sum what golf has meant for you?

AD: Mainly it’s a game that I love. Even though I don’t play as much competitively now as I did, I still go out and give it my best shot every time I go out. I’m very passionate about golf and one of the main things I love about golf is the friendships I’ve made. All my good friends are golfers and I still follow all the girls I used to play international golf with. In my first Home Internationals, my foursomes partner was Catriona Matthew and I still follow their careers. I just think it’s a fantastic game for friendships.

 To read the full article - Click Here