County Durham’s Alex Stevenson has not played in many events in her home country over the last four years but she made a big impact at The Berkshire yesterday, winning the illustrious Astor Salver by one shot.
FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play
The Georgia Southern student has just finished the fourth of five years in the US and has not returned regularly to play in many of the major scratch events. This was her first appearance in the UK in 2023.
The one-time Scottish U-16s champion did play in the Astor Salver last year – won by Wentworth’s Ava Bates – and finished in a tie for 19th.
And this time around her one-under-par aggregate total was enough to nudge ahead of England international Olivia Lee to the delight of the Beamish Park player and her dad/caddy Mark.
“I really went in with low expectations,” admitted Stevenson.
“My mindset was to go out and have fun and it was just nice to play in a tournament in my own country and have my dad on the bag – something that I don’t get to do very often now with me attending university in the US.
“I was happy where my game was but after my first round I was really chuffed because I have been struggling to shoot under par. I have been managing it for nine holes but not the full 18.”
Stevenson’s three-under-par opener left her one back of Lee, both players having started on the red course.
And she was particularly delighted with her par-birdie-birdie start having struggled to get going 12 months ago.
“Last year I just didn’t start well but this around I was hitting it pretty sweetly and felt confident with where my game is at.”
At the par three second she fired a seven iron to nine feet and then also flushed her second at the par five third, just missing out on an eagle from 12 feet.
With the wind a factor throughout, she held it together well to close out with a 70 and Surrey’s Abbi Rowlands (72) was the only other player to make it under par in the morning.
Stevenson added: “I had no idea where I was after the morning round and to be honest thought I had blown it in the afternoon.
“Although having seen that the Blue course scores were a lot higher, I just tried to play par golf and if the birdies came, the birdies came. Plus it was a lot harder to get at the pins on the Blue course.
“When I had finished, I thought I was looking at top ten… top five maybe. Then my dad just start fisting pumping by the side of the green and came over and said ‘you have done it kid’.”
Stevenson parred 12 of her last 13 holes as she closed out with a second-round 74 while Lee had a hugely eventful time down the stretch, amassing three bogeys, two birdies, one par and one double during her last seven holes.
Australia’s Amelia Whinney moved into a tie for third thanks to a second-round 72 while Comboy Scratch champion Harriet Lockley (Burnham & Berrow) also finished on two over thanks to scores of 73 and 74.