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AIG Women’s Open: Louise Duncan dares to dream at Carnoustie but settles for a glowing future

Louise Duncan takes the applause of the crowd at the end of her round.
Louise Duncan takes the applause of the crowd at the end of her round.

Having begun the week not sure whether she could cope in such company and wondering if she could make contact on the first tee, Louise Duncan ended it as Scotland’s new golfing heroine with a glowing future in the front of her.

But the 21-year-old, having enjoyed being cheered to every green by a huge crowd – the 8000-limit would have surely been tripled under normal circumstances – now knows she belongs.

‘Mind-blowing’

“Mind-blowing” was her description of her Sunday experience. It was a final round of 72 for a seven-under finish and a share of tenth place. That meant she missed out on a potential £92,000, but that didn’t matter a jot.

“I thought I might crumble a wee bit, but seemed to hold my nerve out there. I played well on the last day, which was ultimately my goal,” said the West Kilbride girl. “To have the fans behind me, it’s just been great.

“It was great to try and chase down the leaders and maybe try to win myself a major. I felt like I played well and I’m really glad I held my own out there.”

When she opened with a glorious birdie, hitting in to ten feet, anything seemed possible. A charge for the title seemed to be on after she birdied 10 and 11 to reach nine-under with the lead then at -11.

‘I felt I left a few out there’

“It was a great start with a birdie,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting that, I felt I left a few out there to be honest. I felt like I was rolling my putts pretty well. Just unfortunately not many went in, but that’s golf, isn’t it.”

She missed out on key birdie chances at the long 12th and 14th holes. In the end bogeys at the 16th and at the 18th – after she drove into a bunker – brought her back to level par for the day.

Her prize for this week the Smyth Salver for top amateur, the first Scot to win it since Angus’ own Kathryn Imrie in 1988. One suspects it’s not going to be the only prize she picks up to add to the Women’s Amateur title this year. Her tenth place finish gets her a return trip to the Women’s Open at Muirfield in 2022.

Fans ‘were there for me’

The fans took her immediately to their heart, and were with her all the way.

“They were definitely there for me,” she said. “It was great to hear them out there and to hear the noise after basically every single shot. I can’t thank them enough.

“The 18th at the end there was the best memory, I think. To have so many people cheering you just makes it so special.”