On and off the course, it seems Hannah Darling is in good shape for a variety of examinations that are on her radar in 2019.
Yesterday, over the Eden Course at St Andrews, the talented teenager from Edinburgh passed her first major test of the golfing year with flying colours as she romped to a six-stroke victory over a strong international field in the Scottish Girls’ Open Strokeplay Championship.
With her National 5 exams at school looming on the horizon, you half expected Darling to be cramming in a bit of Pythagoras revision in between shots.
Her focus was very much on the links, though, as she completed a highly impressive wire-to-wire win with a steady level-par 71 for a four-under 209 and a comfortable victory over Isabelle Simpson from England.
Another English challenger, Ellie Gower, tried to put the pressure on Darling on the home straight but a crippling eight on the penultimate hole scuppered her fading hopes.
“I was really steady out there today and went on a bit of a par-run, but I think that was worth it,” said Darling of a card which featured two birdies and two bogeys.
“Ellie was holing quite a few putts and had me worried at some points, but I stuck to my game pan and I’m just really happy to come away with the win.”
This latest victory underlined Darling’s growing stature in the junior amateur scene. Having already won back-to-back Scottish Girls’ Matchplay titles in 2017 and 2018, as well as the inaugural British Girls’ Under-16 Championship last season, this newest addition to her collection of silverware will have the Darling family looking for a mantelpiece that’s about as big as the Hoover Dam.
Her goal of qualifying for the European team for this year’s Junior Solheim Cup continues to drive her while a step up to the cut-and-thrust of the senior circuit, in next weekend’s Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open at Troon, is a prospect that’s being relished.
“Next week’s event is a women’s event so obviously it will be a step up to another level, but I am definitely happy with where my game is at the moment and ready to take on the challenge,” she added.
While Darling was taking the honours in the game’s cradle, over in Ayrshire it was Welshman James Ashfield who plundered the Boys’ Open title at West Kilbride.
On an afternoon of fluctuating fortunes for those involved at the sharp end, it looked for a long spell that the prize would go to Ireland’s Eoin Sullivan.
Having led by a single shot after the morning’s third round, Sullivan extended his lead to four shots after the outward half of a closing 18 that was bolstered by a birdie and an eagle in his first three holes.
Disaster struck on the way home, though as Sullivan stumbled to a double-bogey on 12, a triple on the 13th and a bogey on the 15th in a 75 which saw him slither off the top.
That left the door open for a chasing pack which included home hopeful Gregor Graham of Blairgowrie.
Finland’s Saake Siltala, looking to repeat the 2010 Scottish Boys’ Open win of his compatriot Linus Vaisanen, had a sniff but he leaked four shots on his last four holes in a 72.
Ashfield, who picked up three shots early on, kept it reasonably steady with a one-under 70 for a seven-under 277 which vaulted him to the top while Graham made a late push with a 68 but that left him two shots shy.
In the end, Ashfield, a Welsh junior cap, won by two strokes from Graham, Siltala and the unfortunate Sullivan. Scots duo Cameron Gallagher and Cameron Adam both finished in the top-10.
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