It was almost a case of no practice makes perfect for Shannon McWilliam in the Helen Holm Scottish Open Strokeplay Championship at bright and breezy Troon yesterday.
In the end, the 15-year-old from Aboyne had to settle for third place behind eventual champion, Olivia Mehaffey, but the current Scottish Champion of Champions could hold her head high after finishing with a six-over aggregate of 222 following a closing 79 amid the buffeting.
McWilliam certainly turned a few heads with her eye-catching display that put her into contention for one of the biggest titles in the women's amateur scene. It was a spirited performance made all the more remarkable by the fact that she didn't have a practice round on either Troon Portland or Royal Troon, the robust host venues for the weekend's championship..
"School comes first and I didn't want to take time off as I have exams coming up so I never played any of the courses until the event started," revealed the studious Shannon. The golfing examination that was presented yesterday was particularly rigorous and the abundant challenges of the Open Championship links of Royal Troon were given added menace by a cold, relentless wind that would've sheered clumps of rock off of Ailsa Craig. "It was a five-club wind," added McWilliam, who finished just two shots behind Mehaffey.
McWilliam was aiming to become the youngest winner in the championship's history and the first Scot to capture the title since Heather Stirling in 2002. One off the pace after the opening 36-holes over Troon Portland, McWilliam was leading with just four holes of the final round to play until a trio of bogeys at the 15th, 16th and 17th into the teeth of the biting wind scuppered her ambitions.
While overnight leader and world No 3, Linnea Strom, slithered out of contention with an 82, the in-form Mehaffey seized her opportunity to capture the biggest victory of her young career.
The 17-year-old from County Down, fresh from winning the Irish Girls' Open for the third successive year last weekend, recovered from a brace of bogeys on her opening two holes to card a battling three-over 75 for a four-over 220 and a one-shot victory over French teenager Anais Meyssonier.
"It was so tough and some of the holes on the back nine I was hitting driver, driver, 3-wood just to get up," said a wind-blown Mehaffey, who finished third in the championship a year ago. "This is my first victory in a senior event and it's the biggest win of my career."
With 17-year-old Lydia Ko blazing a trail on the world professional stage, it was hardly surprising that a raft of talented teens dominated proceedings here in Ayrshire. The face of women's golf at all levels continues to be energised by youthful vigour.
SLGA Helen Holm Scottish Women's Amateur Open Strokeplay Championship, Troon Portland & Royal Troon, par 72
Leading final scores
220 O Mehaffey (Royal County Down) 72 73 75
221 A Meyssonnier (Paris Country Club) 72 71 78
222 S McWilliam (Aboyne) 71 72 79
224 G Clews (Delamere Forest) 74 78 72, I Mehmet (Royal Mid-Surrey) 69 78 77, A Laisne (Racing Club de France) 71 76 77, S Lamb (Clitheroe) 73 75 78, L Strom (Goteborg GC) 68 74 82
227 E Healey (West Lancs) 74 77 76, A Bailey (Kirby Muxloe) 72 78 77, C Ryan (Castletroy) 73 76 78, I Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) 73 76 78, H Muse (West Lancs) 68 77 82
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