Aboyne’s Carmen Griffiths claimed the biggest win of her career by beating Hamilton’s Katie Graham 4 & 2 in the final of Scottish Girls’ Amateur Championship at Strathaven.
The 2019 European Junior Vagliano Trophy team member came into the championship in second place on the 2021 Scottish Girls’ order of merit and she showed why she is currently ranked only behind Curtis Cup hopeful Hannah Darling,on with a series of impressive victories in her march to the final.
The new champion’s toughest match came in the second round when she was taken to the 18th hole by fellow Scottish international Rachel Foster (Prestwick St Nicholas) but she then beat Parkstone’s Alice Webb 6 & 5 in the semi-finals before proving too strong for Graham in the afternoon.
Graham had previously knocked out top seed Robyn Fowlie (Forfar) in the second round and then beat Shrewsbury’s Isla McDonald-O’Brien 6 & 5 to earn her place in the final.
🏆 | CHAMPION!
Congratulations to Carmen Griffiths, your 2021 #SGGirlsAM Champion.
More reaction from @StrathavenGC to follow soon! pic.twitter.com/r82tytzISK
— Scottish Golf (@ScottishGolf) July 18, 2021
Griffiths was three ahead after ten holes in the final before Graham clawed one back on the 11th.
The Aboyne golfer increased her lead again with wins on the 12th and 14th and though Graham won the 15th that reprieve proved to be short-lived when Griffiths sealed victory on the very next hole.
“I’m absolutely over the moon,” said Griffiths, who is heading to the University of Louisville on a golf scholarship.
“This has got to be my best win so far. I’ve come close a couple of times so it’s nice finally to get over the line.
“I played very well this morning against Alice and again this afternoon. It was tighter than the score suggests, so I’m just glad to come out on top.”
“It’s something I’ll remember for a long, long time.”
Archie Finnie survived a late fightback from Ross Laird to win the Scottish Boys’ Amateur Championship at Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh.
Finnie, who won the final by two holes in front of a large crowd at his home club, defeated Nairn’s Calum Scott at the 19th hole in the semi-finals.