Highlights: Foster keeps Irish hopes alive as quarter-finals decided
The R&A
27 Jun 24
3 mins
Ireland’s Anna Foster kept home hopes alive by reaching the quarter-finals of The 121st Women’s Amateur Championship at Portmarnock, but the challenge of world number one Lottie Woad came to an end.
On a blustery day over the famed links near Dublin – winds gusted up to around 35 mph at some intervals along with occasional rain showers – Foster dug deep and reached the last-eight after a battling 19th hole success over Sweden’s Meja Ortengren.Having come through 2&1 against Andrea Bergsdottir in the last-32, the 22-year-old from Blackrock continued the form that saw her win last week’s Irish Women’s Open Stroke Play.“I’m kind of relieved, almost, just to be done with the two matches today,” she said. “It was like such a grind and such a fight. So I'm really happy with how patient I was and how positive I stayed with myself. I think that really definitely helped coming down the last few holes in the second match for sure.“It's been so nice to have the home support. Especially a lot of people from my home club have come out and supported me and family and friends. It's really nice to have all of the support and be able to be in my own bed at night, go home and be with my family.”
Rydqvist again progresses
Foster will meet another Swede, Louise Rydqvist in the last-eight tomorrow, after the 2022 finalist again showed her love of links golf. Beaten by Jess Baker at Hunstanton two years ago, she sealed a quarter-final place with a 7&5 win over Huai-Chien Hsu from Chinese Taipei.Rydqvist remarked, “I got into a food coma after lunch and was two down after two holes and then kind of turned it around. Then all of a sudden I'm three up after nine and then from there finished well.“Two years ago I learned a lot, especially playing the final with Jess. She's a great links golfer. I tried to keep the ball low today and putted as many times as I could around the greens. My game is definitely there. I’ll wake up tomorrow, feel great and get after it again. It would be very, very sweet to win this Championship.”
End of the Woad
Woad, the leading stroke play qualifier and top of the women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®), looked set to continue her progress after seeing off Japan’s Aisa Saito 6&5 in the last-32. But in the worsening afternoon conditions, the Englishwoman made some costly errors and lost out 2&1 to Marie Eline Madsen from Denmark.“I think I'm a little overwhelmed,” said Madsen. “It was tough out there but it was the same conditions for both of us. I think we both struggled a bit. I think one of the best things in my game was being straight from the tee so that helped a lot. But we both had some bad holes. “I don't think I've ever played in weather so bad. But it was fun and a great challenge. I think I just tried to stay calm and tried to ignore the bad conditions. I just played my game.”The 19-year-old’s win was a significant upset given she stands at 643rd on WAGR® and now meets Annabelle Pancake, beaten finalist at Prince’s last year, after the American came through her last-16 tie at the 19th against countrywoman Catherine Rao.
Green on course
Melanie Green also thrived in conditions far removed from her Florida home to become the first player into the quarter-finals after an impressive 6&5 triumph over Spain’s Paula Martin Sampedro. Green faces Paula Schulz-Hanssen from Germany tomorrow morning.Green said, “Honestly, I didn't have a whole lot of expectations on myself coming in this week. I've said it to a lot of the locals, The R&A officials, the head pro here, the people that are on the first tee and all the volunteers. Every time it gets brought up I'm just like ‘it's my first time in Ireland and I'm just trying to enjoy it.’ That's really it.“I know the weather is not ideal for me. I'm not used to it right, but I'm just trying to have the most fun I possibly can. You hit the ball and it goes 30 yards right because of the wind and it's like, OK, well, you know what, you're not going to find this in the United States. So I'm just trying to make the most of it.”
McClymont impresses on the links
In her fifth appearance in the Championship, Scotland’s Lorna McClymont is into the last-eight for the first time. The double R&A Student Tour Series Order of Merit winner saw off French player Camille Min Gaultier 4&3 and meets another Frenchwoman Ines Archer tomorrow.The Championship, founded in 1893, boasts an impressive list of former winners including McCormack Medal winner Leona Maguire and major champions Georgia Hall and Anna Nordqvist. The winner of this year’s Championship has future opportunities, gaining entry to the AIG Women’s Open, US Women’s Open, The Amundi Evian Championship and by tradition, will earn an invitation to compete at the Augusta National Women's Amateur.The R&A is providing live stream coverage on R&A TV of the quarter-finals and semi-finals tomorrow, as well as Saturday’s 36-hole Final.
