Fifteen-year-old Shannon McWilliam came agonisingly close to becoming the youngest-ever winner of the Helen Holm Scottish Ladies Championship before being worn down in the Royal Troon gales.
The Aboyne teenager, playing the tough Open course sight unseen she did not have time for a practice round because of school was leading playing the 15th into a strong headwind with a great chance to be the first Scottish winner in 13 years, but bogeys there and at the 16th and 17th cost her what would have been an incredible win.
Instead Ireland’s Olivia Mehaffey, third last year, won the title with a final round three-over 75 for a three round aggregate of 220, one ahead of France’s Anais Meyssonnier and two in front of Shannon.
It was a bittersweet finish for the 15-year-old, who has worked her way from a five handicap to plus one in a year, and was playing in her first national championship.
“I know it’s a big achievement to finish third in this event but I’m still disappointed because I feel I had a great chance to win,” she said.
With exams coming up, Shannon had not had time to practise at either Royal Troon or the Portland course, and had only arrived at the venue on Friday morning.
“School has to come first, and I didn’t want to take off too much time, but this was my first chance to play in an event as big as this,” she said.
Shannon still had a chance playing the last two but took a three-wood at the 160-yard 17th due to the strong wind and hit through the back, failing to get her par.
Mehaffey, the Irish Girls’ champion three years in a row, had used her experience of last year’s performance and plotted her way through to her first senior title.
“It’s easily the biggest of my career so far and a big one to win,” said Olivia, who is set to go to Arizona State University Phil Mickelson and Paul Casey’s old college after the summer.
Leading scores:
220 Olivia Mehaffey (Royal County Down) 72 73 75
221 Anais Meyssonnier (France) 72 71 78
222 Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne) 71 72 79
224 Gemma Clews (Delamere Forest) 74 78 72, Inci Mehmet (Royal Mid-Surrey) 69 78 77
Other scores:
235 Gillian Paton (Royal Montrose) 72 81 82
237 Jennifer Saxton (Kinross) 71 87 79