New world number one amateur Ingrid Lindblad heads an impressive list of top-ranked players from across the globe for next week’s 120th Women’s Amateur Championship at Prince’s.
The Kent venue will welcome a talented field of 144 players representing 37 countries (June 13-18), including no fewer than 12 players ranked inside the top 50 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
Lindblad, 23, has climbed to the number one spot following the update to the standings, with the Swede taking over from American Rose Zhang, who quickly impressed to win the LPGA Tour’s Mizuho America’s Open on her professional debut on Sunday.
“I’m delighted to be the new world number one amateur,” said Lindblad, one of three players in the world’s top ten to be competing at Prince’s alongside Spain’s Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (3) and Scotland’s Hannah Darling (9).
Lindblad is a senior at Louisiana State University (LSU) and has enjoyed a stellar collegiate career, winning 11 times and recording 34 top-15 finishes in 37 starts. She will make her third appearance in The Women’s Amateur Championship, having reached the last 16 at Hunstanton last year, and is eager to put on another good showing.
“I’m excited to be back playing The Women’s Amateur,” she added. “I’ve been hitting the ball well lately so I’m ready to go play. I’ve had a great experience in the last few years of this championship and I’m looking forward to another one.”
Although Lindblad doesn’t know Prince’s, she’s had links experience in the past and knows what to expect from the challenge that lies ahead on the Kent coast.
“It’s important to keep the ball in play. It’s a long week so it’s important to be rested for the match play. Last year is last year, but I feel like my links experience from both The Women’s Amateur and the European Team Championship (at Conwy) will put me in a good position for this year.”
After a record 232 entries for the championship, there are no fewer than 23 entrants from GB&I who will start the stroke play stage – including last year’s champion Jess Baker.
Gosforth Park Ladies’s Baker took the title in Norfolk after defeating Sweden’s Louise Rydqvist by 4&3 in a thrilling final and is joined by fellow English hope Annabell Fuller at Prince’s, making a remarkable seventh appearance in the event.
Darling from Broomieknowe is making her fourth appearance and is keen to go one better than previous attempts. The Scot has twice been a semi-finalist, both times losing out to the eventual winner – Louise Duncan at Kilmarnock (Barassie) in 2021 and Baker last year.
Darling, a past winner of the R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship, said: “I feel that my game is in a good place right now coming off a busy semester in the US, but I’m excited to get back and play some links golf.
“I know I need to manage my energy during the week. Depending on how far you make it in the matchplay you could end up playing a lot of golf so that’s something I’ve learnt in the past.”
Another Scot, Lorna McClymont (Milngavie), will head into the championship in a confident mood after successfully defending her Irish Women’s Amateur Championship title, the week after winning the Welsh Women’s Stroke Play.
Other notable players teeing up include Eila Galitsky of Thailand, 16, the current Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Champion and Valentina Rossi from Argentina, winner of the Women’s Amateur Latin America in November.
Meja Ortengren of Sweden – the 18-year-old ranked 14th on WAGR – will be out to shine, while 11 golfers from the USA will also take part. They include 2021 US Women’s Amateur champion Jensen Castle and World No 29 Latanna Stone.
The field will take part in the stroke play stage on Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th, From there, 64 players and ties will advance to the match play stage, culminating with the final on Sunday, June 18th.
Prince’s played host to The Open in 1932, won by Gene Sarazen. The club has welcomed Final Qualifying for The Open from 2018 to 2022, while the course also co-hosted The Amateur Championship in 2013 and 2017. Prince’s boasts 27 holes of links golf organised in three loops – Shore, Dunes and Himalayas – with the Championship being played over Shore and Dunes.
Spectators are welcome to attend The Women’s Amateur Championship with tickets available to purchase at www.randa.org. Adult tickets are available from £10, with a four-day ticket just £25.
The full field for The Women’s Amateur Championship can also be viewed here.