'I couldn't have scripted it better' - Scottish legend signs off on a high at St Andrews

Catriona Matthew was watched by fellow Scottish golfing legend Sandy Lyle as she ended her AIG Women’s Open career with a birdie after reluctantly posing on the Swilcan Bridge for a traditional St Andrews send off.

With fellow major winner Lyle and his wife Jolane looking on along with The R&A’s CEO Martin Slumbers, the 2009 winner almost holed her approach with a 49-degree lob wedge at the 18th on the Old Course before rolling in a six-footer down the slope.

Although she ended up missing the cut by just three shots after a gutsy second-round 74 for a seven-over total, the sign off was greeted with a huge smile from Matthew herself and loud cheers from a decent-sized crowd gathered up the side of the green.

Catriona Matthew acknowledges the crowd on the 18th green after signing off her AIG Women's Open career with a closing birdie at St Andrews. Picture: Luke Walker/Getty Images.

Others applauded the 54-year-old from the rooftop bar at the Rusacks Hotel and also from the roof terrace of Hamilton Grand after she’d announced earlier in the week that a 30th professional appearance in the event and 31st in total would be her last.

“To finish with a birdie, I couldn't have scripted it any better,” declared Matthew, who was greeted by one cry of “go on the legend” from someone in the outdoor area in The Jigger Inn at The Old Course Hotel as she made her way to the 17th green.

Her playing partners, fellow former winners Karrie Webb and Stacy Lewis, then held back after the trio had driven off at the last to allow Matthew to reach the Swilcan Bridge on her own and pause for a photograph, but, in typically unassuming fashion, the North Berwick woman barely stopped.

Urged by Lewis, she returned to allow the photographers to get their iconic image, just as the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson did when they played at St Andrews for a final time in The Open.

“Slightly embarrassed about that as I thought my one wave was enough but, yeah, it was great walking up the last,” admitted Matthew, with Lewis, a winner in this event here in 2013, hitting the nail on the head by saying that the Scot was “not in her comfort zone” but had also been “glad she took in the moment” and that it had been “really cool”.

Bearing in mind that she had been on the wrong side of the draw along with compatriot Gemma Dryburgh - the Aberdonian also made an early exit on ten over after a second-round 75 - it was a praiseworthy performance from Matthew, who turns 55 on Sunday and is captaining Great Britain & Ireland in next week’s Curtis Cup at Sunningdale.

“No, no,” she replied to being asked if she’d feel in a year’s time that she would still like to be playing in the event. “I'm just quite pleased that I actually came out and played respectably the last couple of days and I don't want to have to try and do that again next year. So it’s the right time.”

As the cut for the top 65 and ties fell at four over, Swede Anna Nordqvist, the winner at Carnoustie in 2021, was a surprise casualty, as was American Lauren Coughlin, last week’s ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open winner. Lewis and Webb also missed the cut along with 2020 Troon winner Sophia Popov.

Spaniard Ana Pelaez Trivino, meanwhile, suffered a sore early exit after being disqualified due to her caddie using a rangefinder on the tenth and 18th holes in the second round. On two under, she would have comfortably made it through to the weekend.