Royal Troon’s back nine in the wind caused havoc for co-leaders Olivia Mehaffey and Linda Lundqvist allowing England’s Olivia Winning to steal in to win the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Amateur crown for the second time.
Mehaffey’s four bogeys in the last six holes and a disastrous seven at the long 16th by Sweden’s Lundqvist saw the steady par 72 from Winning good enough to repeat the 2013 victory for the 21-year-old from Rotherham, home club of new Masters champion Danny Willett.
Mehaffey’s final round 77 saw her lose her bid to be only the third player to successfully defend the Helen Holm title. The 18-year-old from Royal County Down was aiming to be the first to repeat since Solheim Cup star Melissa Reid in 2006-07.
Winning’s 72, including a key birdie on the long 16th, saw her finish with a one-over aggregate for three rounds of 217.
Mehaffey, who had a key bogey at the par three 17th to drop out of a share of the lead she’d held since the opening round on Friday morning, had to settle for second place on her own a shot behind, with her countrywoman Maria Dunne third on three-over.
Lundqvist, in a share of the lead after the two opening rounds on the Troon Portland course, also found the Open Championship links too tough an examination and fell to a seven-over 79, finishing in fourth place, although she was still in touch until her double bogey on the long 16th.
Best placed Scot for a second year in succession was Shannon McWilliam, the 16-year-old from Aboyne finishing in a tie for 18th on 11-over after a final round of 80.
