Louise Landgraf held her nerve in a playoff to become the first French winner of the R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship at The Berkshire – as Northumberland’s Charlotte Naughton charged through the field with the best score on the final day to force extra holes.
Louise narrowly edged the win with a par on the second playoff hole on the Red Course at The Berkshire, taking the Angela Uzielli Trophy after the leading pair finished the three-round event tied on eight under-par scores of 211.
Louise and Charlotte set a new 54-hole championship record, bettering the six under-par mark Italy’s Francesca Fiorellini recorded to win the 2019 title.
The French player lived up to her billing as the top ranked player in the field at 134th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. She joins the likes of Francesca and inaugural winner Hannah Darling (2018) as a champion, but it was anything but easy on the final day.
“My voice is a bit shaky now because I had a lot of adrenaline and nerves today,” said Louise. “I didn’t have my best golf so I just tried to stay as calm as possible. Charlotte played really well and I knew she was getting closer to me all the time.”
Holding a five-shot lead over Charlotte and Ireland’s Olivia Costello heading into the final round, 15-year-old Louise added a closing one over-par 74 to earlier rounds of 68 and 69. She still had a three-shot lead over Longhirst-based Charlotte with four holes to play, but bogeyed the 15th and 16th. Charlotte then birdied the 18th to shoot a four under-par 69 to force the playoff. However, the England international three-putted the second extra hole while Louise two-putted to win.
“It was a good battle and I had a lot of nerves just looking at the leaderboard all day,” said Louise. “I’ve always wanted to play in Britain. I wanted to win, but I’ve never played on a course like this and didn’t know what the conditions were going to be like.”
Louise, who lives in Thailand but claims French citizenship from her father, added: “I’m just so proud of myself to win this great championship. It feels great to be called the R&A Girls’ Under 16 Amateur champion.”
Meanwhile, 12-year-old Sabrina Wong won the Liz Pook Trophy, which goes to the leading under-14 player, with a level-par total.
The leading four players – including Charlotte – gained exemptions into the R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship at Alwoodley Golf Club in August.
