Scottish title is Winning’s biggest career success

Olivia Winning, the 18-year-old Yorkshire player, scored the biggest win of her golfing career at a windy Royal Troon yesterday, lifting the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open Amateur Stroke-play Championship with a five-under-par total of 220.

Winning led the tournament from start to finish after a five-under 70 then a 72 at Troon Portland in the opening rounds.

“I’ve been so busy studying for my A-levels that I could not get up to Troon to play a practice round over either course, but this was the third time I’d played in the Helen Holm so I did have that experience of the conditions and holes to fall back on,” said Winning, who also won the Under-18s trophy with her 54-hole aggregate.

“It’s definitely the biggest win I’ve had so far. It’s a great feeling to win from a field as strong as this,” she explained.

Joint runners-up, two shots behind on 222 were Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) (76-72-74), who made a brave bid to become the first Scot since Heather Stirling in 2002 to win the event, and Poppy Finlay (Vicars Cross) from Chester.