AIG Women's Open: Amateur Louise Duncan braced for sleepless night

Louise Duncan struggled to get any kip ahead of a practice round earlier this week for the AIG Women’s Open, so she’s not expecting to do any better in that respect in preparation for the real thing.

Louise Duncan, left, chats to Dane Emily Kristine Pedersen during last week's Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open at Dumbarnie Links. Picture: Scottish Golf

“I don’t know if I’ll sleep at all tonight,” admitted the West Kilbride player, who secured her place among five Scots in the field at Carnoustie on the back of winning the R&A Women’s Amateur Championship earlier in the year.

“We’ll see how it goes,” she said of expecting the excitement of playing in her first major to be running through her head all night before adding with a smile: “Hopefully I can make contact on the first tee.”

The 21-year-old will have Dean Robertson, a former European Tour winner and now running Stirling University’s brilliant golf programme, as a calming influence on the bag.

The pair worked well together when Duncan landed that title at Kilmarnock (Barassie) in June and Robertson has a knack of helping bring out the best in players he works with.

“After Barassie, it would have been rude not to ask,” said Duncan, who will be flying the Saltire along with Hannah Darling in next week’s Curtis Cup at Conwy. “Knowing situations is where he’s best, he’s obviously really experienced.

“At Barassie, there were a few different things I wouldn’t have done if he hadn’t been there. He knows how to play, he keeps me calm as well.”

In last week’s Women’s Scottish Open Pro-Am at Dumbarnie Links, Duncan joined fellow Scottish Golf players Chloe Goadby and Hazel MacGarvie in playing on the same team as Dane Emily Kristine Pedersen.

“That was a great help,” said Duncan of the time in the 2020 LET Order of Merit winner’s company helping her prepare for this week’s test in a field that also includes Catriona Matthew, Kelsey MacDonald, Kylie Henry and Gemma Dryburgh.

“It gave me a wee bit of confidence to know my game’s not that far away and maybe I can compete with the highest pros. It was a good wee steeping stone.

As was that practice round with Matthew, who won this event in 2019 at Royal Lytham. “Playing with Catriona was massive,” she said. “Just to get her advice and see how she was playing the course. She made me feel really comfortable.”

With up to 8,000 fans per day attending the event in Angus, Duncan is hoping to see some familiar faces when she sets out in the company of 2018 winner Georgia Hall and American Megan Khang just before midday in the opening round.

“I’ve got both my brothers and my mum coming, a few friends and others,” she said. “It’s really exciting. It‘s bit surreal as well. It’s all been building up to this and it’s good to get going. I don’t think I could have picked a better draw and hopefully the nerves won’t take over.”

Along with Darling following her weekend win in the Girls’ Amateur Championship at Fulford, Duncan will also be playing in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur next April.

“It’s been not life changing but really season changing, for next year as well,” said Duncan of the opportunities that have come from the biggest win of her career. “I wouldn’t have even imagined playing all this sort of stuff at the start of the season.

“So to play myself into these things and give myself these opportunities to do well on big stages is pretty good.”

MacDonald, who is also making her debut AIG Women’s Open debut this week, has been handed the honour of hitting the opening shot at 6.30am.

“The first tee shot is very important to me, and I think not only gets the championship off to a good start, but needs a bit of symbolism,” said R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers.

“The reason for asking Kelsey is very personal. It's a tribute to someone who many of us wish was still with us this week.

“In the Scottish Open last week, Kelsey was the first winner of the Jock MacVicar Trophy as the leading Scottish player for the week, and, when I saw that on Sunday, I couldn't think of a more appropriate person to hit that first tee shot.”

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