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The Women's Amateur
Toy wins Womens Amateur
15 Jun 19
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England’s Emily Toy produced the best performance of her career to win The 116th Women’s Amateur Championship at Royal County Down.
The 21-year-old defeated Amelia Garvey by one hole in the 18-hole final over the renowned links on the east coast of Northern Ireland.
Cornwall’s Toy, ranked 450th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking™, ended Garvey’s hopes of becoming the first New Zealander since 1986 to claim the trophy. In her morning semi-final, Toy also shone to defeat Linn Grant from Sweden, ranked 25th in the world.
Toy, the first English player to win the title since Georgia Hall in 2013, sealed a spot in the AIG Women’s British Open at Woburn in August thanks to her triumph.
The 2017 R&A Foundation Scholars Tournament winner also gained exemptions into the 2019 Evian Championship, as well as next year’s US Women’s Open and the Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship.
Emily Toy's victory is the first by an English player in the competition since AIG Women's British Open Champion Georgia Hall (pictured) in 2013.
Major glory
“It’s amazing to win,” said Toy. “I played really solidly all week. I stayed in the moment in the final and handled my nerves. I really struggled this morning off the tee but I found the fairways this afternoon which gave me the chances. My putting was also really solid from long distance. “I went to Australia in January and won the New South Wales stroke play, but it was a match play tournament so it didn’t feel like a win. I’ve been hunting one down and been playing quite nicely this year so to do it here is amazing. “I was saying to my parents last week I’ve got to do the qualifying for the Women’s British Open but I’m in now so how cool is that? “It’s amazing to have these major opportunities now. I look forward to a couple of days of rest and then it will all sink in.”Irish golfing summer
Continuing an exciting golfing summer for Northern Ireland with The Open set for Royal Portrush next month, Royal County Down hosted the event for a ninth occasion – exactly 120 years after its first staging in 1899. After both players made birdies on the third hole of the final, Christchurch native Garvey, ranked 200th in the word, went ahead at the 5th after Toy’s bogey. However, Toy hit straight back at the next after a glorious approach set up a birdie. The pair exchanged bogeys before another dropped shot from Toy handed Garvey the lead at the 11th. Just when it looked like the University of Southern California student may pull clear, she bogeyed the 14th to return the contest to all square. Toy, attached to Carlyon Bay Golf Club, let a chance slip at the 16th when she three-putted but made no mistake at the 17th from 20 feet for birdie.Rankings boost
A par at the last was good enough for victory as Toy joined a roll of honour that also includes Anna Nordqvist (2008) and Céline Boutier (2015). Toy added, “I was ranked about 800 in the world at the start of the year but I’ve been ticking down, especially after the way I played in Australia. Hopefully I can come down a few more spots this week! “Players in America play more events than me and it’s quite hard for me given I’ve been finishing university at Exeter. To see the names on the trophy is awesome. I’m so proud to be on there too now.”
New Zealand's Amelia Garvey was on track to become the first Kiwi winner of the championship since compatriot Marnie McGuire back in 1986.