DANIELLE McVEIGH produced a dramatic rearguard action to snatch the Ladies British Open Amateur strokeplay title at Royal Aberdeen yesterday.
Five strokes adrift of long-time leader 15-year-old Wiltshire champion Hannah Turland turning for home for the final time the 22-year-old Vagliano Cup player from Royal County Down overturned the defecit to win by one.
All but the most fervent McVeigh supporters must have felt sympathy for Turland as she tangled with the sand dunes to suffer back-to-back triple bogeys, at the 11th and 12th – and came home in an unhappy 44 – a birdie at the last could not save her from an agonising defeat.
In much improved weather McVeigh, who won the Welsh Open stroke-play championship back in May, recorded a 72-hole total of 304 – 16 over par. Turland was on 305 with Manchester’s Rachel Connor in third spot on 306.
The Northern Ireland star could not conceal her delight but had words of encouragement, sympathy and praise for Turland who was bidding to become one of the youngest ever winners of an LGU event.
“I am absolutely thrilled to bits.Being so far behind with nine to play I did not think I had a chance and I sympathise with Hannah who played really well except for those few holes at the end.”
McVeigh kept her head in the final round taking only one six and mainly staying out of trouble. Her steady finish of five fours and a five saw her home.
She will now head to Falsterbo in Sweden for next week’s European championships in buoyant mood.
Ciara Butler from Newlands fell away badly in the last round slumping to an 88 for a 324 aggregate and a share of 35th place while Louise Mernagh from Woodenbridge ended on 328.
Meanwhile, Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar moved up the leaderboard in the third round of the European Amateur Individual Championship at Chantilly, north of Paris.
The St Andrews Links Trophy player returned a two-under-par 69 for a 54-hole aggregate of 214 and lies in joint 13th place, admittedly six strokes off the pace.
Dunbar had three birdies and just one bogey in a very solid round.
Sharing the lead with 18 holes remaining are Scottish internationals Ross Kellett and James Byrne on five-under-par 208.
Apart from Dunbar it was a pretty sorry story for the Irish with Dubliner Niall Kearney the best of the rest on 222.
