On a day of high drama, Jasmine Mackintosh was left holding the Helen Holm Trophy after riding a rollercoaster three days in the Scottish Women’s Open at Royal Troon.
The Murcar Links player led after round one but a second round 77 appeared to have knocked the stuffing out of her title charge.
But fate conspired to deliver for the 23-year-old as she finished strongly in the final round on Sunday while her international team-mate Lorna McClymont (Milngavie) struggled down the stretch.
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McClymont bogeyed four of the last six holes and the duo ended up in a play-off, Mackintosh delivering the knock-out blow by holing from 12 feet for birdie at the first extra hole.
The Aberdeen-based player, who is studying music at college, was still coming to terms with the biggest victory of her career a couple of days after the event.
“I have only just started thinking now that I have actually won it,” she said this morning.
“In the moment it was all a bit crazy but looking back I am really pleased with how I played and especially the back nine on Sunday.”
On the 50th anniversary of the championship, a strong finsh from St Rule champion Jen Saxton ensured a Scottish 1-2-3. The 1973 winner Belle Robertson was on hand to present the prizes.
The Dunfermline player, along with England’s Alice Barlow, closed with a one-under-par 71 to post four over.
For most of the day it looked like McClymont was going to finish well inside that, especially after reaching the turn in two under for her round and the tournament.
At that point Mackintosh, who struggled with a back injury for much of last season, was six back but she took advantage of the par five 12th to get things going – she had just 100 yards left for her second shot and two-putted for the birdie.
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On 15 she used the considerable contouring around the green to full effect – her approach creeping towards the flag off the banking on the right – and secured the birdie from six feet.
By time she holed out from ten feet for a two on the 17th, McClymont, playing in the final group with Sweden’s Elin Remler and Pavenham park’s Luca Thompson, was starting to struggle.
Mackintosh then rounded things off with a bogey as she left her approach putt for birdie eight feet short and missed the slopey right-to-lefter to finish two over for the tournament and level par for the round.