MacDonald crushes Kenney 5 and 3 to take Championship

Studying sport and psychology at Stirling University, where she is following in the footsteps of Open champion Catriona Matthew, MacDonald got off to a fast start – she won the first three holes – in her 18-hole title showdown with Pitreavie's Louise Kenney and never looked back.

A member at Nairn Dunbar – she lives a half wedge from the first tee – MacDonald won by 5 and 3 as she became a national double champion, having also claimed the Scottish Under-21s Championship for the last two years.

"I'm delighted, though I don't think it will sink in for a while," said the teenager, who revealed she'd overcome an interrupted sleep to add her name to a roll of honour that includes the likes of Belle Robertson, Jane Connachan, Janice Moodie, Lynn Kenny and, of course, Matthew.

"The fire alarm went off at 3am in the Travelodge I was staying in at Musselburgh. My first thought was to try and get out of my room through the window but we discovered it was a false alarm. Thankfully, I managed to get back to sleep but I felt nervous on the first tee."

Unfortunately, the final did not live up to MacDonald's semi-final against Alford's Laura Murray on Friday – they shared 12 birdies in 14 holes – and, for Kenney, the omens didn't look good from the moment her opening drive not only found a bunker but left her with a treacherous stance.

A par proved enough for MacDonald there, as was the case at the third and seventh, though she did win the long second with a birdie-4. Out in 34, one-under, to her opponent's 38, MacDonald was four up and would have extended that lead at the par-3 tenth but for missing a tiddler.

With Spencer Henderson, who coaches both players, among those watching, MacDonald made amends two holes later with a great recovery from a deep greenside bunker at the 12th to go five up.

Kenney, who had former champion Elaine Moffat caddying for her, struggled with her distance control and had to wait until the 14th hole to record her first success, by which time she was fighting a losing battle.

For the 27-year-old Fife nursery school teacher, it was a feeling of deja vu. She had also fallen at the final hurdle in the SLGA's flagship event at Southerness 12 months ago, losing to Megan Briggs of Kilmacolm.

"Kelsey played really well, but nothing happened for me and while I felt as though I hit the ball as well as I had all week, all my shots were going off the back of the green," lamented the tearful runner-up.