The weather was typically abysmal but even the driving rain and cold could not put a dampener on the optimism for the women’s game in the home of golf in Saturday’s Scottish Ladies Championship final.
Alyson McKechin, only 19, gave little scope for the fairytale script that had many hoping 16-year-old Clara Young, the youngest finalist in 110 years, would win at Longniddry and the Elderslie girl duly recorded her first national title with a 3 and 2 victory.
However, in the presence of SLGA honorary vice-president Catriona Matthew, herself a three-time champion, this turned out to be a great final of a superb championship.
McKechin, who has emerged this season in outstanding fashion with second place in the strokeplay national championship last month, could yet challenge next year at Prestwick to be the first repeat winner of the matchplay since Matthew in 1993-94.
She is bound to get a challenge there from Young, who impressed all week before she was finally overpowered in the tough conditions of the final, where the tall McKechin’s greater strength proved decisive.
Five-down at the turn, it seemed like Clara’s stamina after a week juggling the championship and her Highers had finally given out.
However, the North Berwick girl rallied down the stretch.
Over the 16 they played, however, there was no doubting McKechin was the worthy winner.
“Ever since I started playing this is the one I’ve always wanted to win,” she said afterwards. “I started off playing really well and didn’t give Clara much of a chance on the front nine but it was becoming harder and harder to close it out as she started to claw holes back.
“But I hit a good shot in at the 16th after Clara had put her tee shot up against the face in a green-side bunker and that was enough.”
McKechin has no plans for the pro game until at least the end of next year and both finalists are prime examples of the SLGA development programme.
Alyson was first noticed when she was 14 and playing off 15, recalled national coach Kevin Craggs.
“She just came along to a scouting day at Brucefields and has been through every age group squad in the system,” he said.
“The way she has performed both on and off the course this week has been fantastic and the same applies to Clara.”
Others like Scottish Under-16 girls champion Lauren Whyte from St Andrews unable to play this week because of her exams have been carefully nurtured on the way up.
“With all the girls, we work hard on physical, technical, tactical and lifestyle elements and what both Alyson and Clara have achieved this week is a credit to that system,” added Craggs.