Germany’s Chiara Horder wins the Women’s Amateur Championship at Prince’s

Chiara Horder completed a week of high quality golf with a 7&6 victory over Annabelle Pancake in the final of the 120th Women’s Amateur Championship at Prince’s.

The 20-year-old became the third player from Germany to lift The Women’s Amateur trophy in the last six years – after Aline Krauter in 2020 and Leonie Harm in 2018.

Having led by three holes after 18 holes of the two-round final, Chiara surged to victory in the afternoon. With the win she secured places in the field for the Amundi Evian Championship and AIG Women’s Open later this summer, and the Chevron Championship and US Women’s Open in 2024. The German national team player, ranked 273rd on the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking, will also, by tradition, receive an invitation to compete in next year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship.

Chiara, who knocked out the world’s leading women’s amateur golfer Ingrid Lindblad in the semi-finals, joins a championship roll of honour which includes Babe Zaharias, Catriona Matthew, Carlota Ciganda, Anna Nordqvist, Georgia Hall, Celine Boutier, Leona Maguire and 2022 champion Jess Baker from Northumberland.

“I feel amazing. I’m so happy,” said Chiara. “I am so fortunate to win. I mean it’s one of the biggest amateur championships. I can’t believe it, just super happy. It’s incredible. We’ve played so many rounds the last couple days. It’s been like 11 rounds, and then playing close to 36 today, it was exhausting. But I stayed in it and I enjoyed it. It’s so special for me.”

On receiving the major exemptions, she added: “That gives me goosebumps. That’s insane. The opportunities are incredible and I am so fortunate. I cannot believe that I will be teeing it up then. It’s definitely a goal just to compete in these majors. I mean competing in the AIG Women’s Open is just amazing. It’s definitely a dream.”

Annabelle, 21, was bidding to be the first winner from the US since Kelli Kuehne in 1996. The Clemson University student was cheered on by her dad, Tony, who arrived on Father’s Day to support his daughter after an overnight flight from Indiana helped by funds from members at Crooked Stick Golf Club.

From a record 232 entries, Prince’s welcomed a world-class field of 144 players representing 36 countries, including 12 players ranked inside the top-50 on the WAGR.

Three players from the North East – Jess Baker, Bishop Auckland’s Jess Hall and Whitley Bay’s Rosie Belsham – reached the matchplay stages but each was beaten on the first day of matches.

Portmarnock will host The 121st Women’s Amateur Championship June 24-29, 2024.