Scottish No 1 Hannah Darling records first win on US college circuit

Broomieknowe player picks up two birdies in final five holes to secure share of top spot

South Carolina's Hannah Darling shows off her trophy after sharing top spot in the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate. Picture: University of South Carolina.

Top-ranked Scottish women’s amateur Hannah Darling recorded her first win on the US college circuit after producing a big finish to share top spot in the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate in South Carolina.

Darling, a junior at the University of South Carolina, picked up two birdies in her final five holes in the third and last round at Long Cove Club in Hilton Head Island. In adding a 70 to her opening efforts of 72 and 66, the Broomieknowe player finished with a five-under-par total.

That earned her a share of the title with Julia Lopez Ramirez (Mississippi State), Jennifer Cai (Northwestern) and Farah O’Keefe (Texas) as they all finished a shot ahead of world No 1 Ingrid Lindblad (LSU).

It was a terrific performance from Darling, who’d catapulted herself into contention by covering her final seven holes in five-under-par in the second circuit.

In the final round, the world No 24 was one over for the day, having made pars on every hole apart from a bogey at the fifth before picking up her first birdie at the par-4 14th then adding another one two holes later.

Her effort helped South Carolina finish fourth in the team event on six-over-par, three shots behind winners Arizona State.

On the back of this performance, Darling will have a spring in her step as she prepares to make a third appearance in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur next month.

Her win will also have pleased Curtis Cup captain Catriona Matthew, who will be keen to see her compatriot in the Great Britain & Ireland team at Sunningdale in September.