Hannah Darling through to Girls' Amateur final at Fulford

Riding on the crest of a wave after her Curtis Cup selection, Broomieknowe’s Hannah Darling is hoping to cap a week to cherish by becoming the first Scot in 20 years to win the Girls’ Amateur Championship.
Martin Dempster
By Martin Dempster
Published 13th Aug 2021, 19:11 BST
Hannah Darling in action during her semi-final in the R&A Girls Amateur Championship at Fulford. Picture: Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images.Hannah Darling in action during her semi-final in the R&A Girls Amateur Championship at Fulford. Picture: Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images.
Hannah Darling in action during her semi-final in the R&A Girls Amateur Championship at Fulford. Picture: Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images.

Darling, who was selected last Monday along with compatriot Louise Duncan in the GB&I team for the biennial clash, is through to the final of the R&A event at Fulford against Ireland’s Beth Coulter.

The pair will be renewing their rivalry at the Yorkshire venue after Darling holed a 40-foot birdie putt at the last to pip Coulter in the inaugural R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship.

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“There is that history with me and Beth,” noted Darling, who is bidding to become the first Scot since Clare Queen in 2001 to and the prize, after the title decider had been set up. “She is a great player and I’ve always respected her. Tomorrow should be a good game.”

Beth Coulter of Kirkistown Castle has also made it through to the final in the R&A Girls Amateur Championship at Fulford. Picture: Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images.Beth Coulter of Kirkistown Castle has also made it through to the final in the R&A Girls Amateur Championship at Fulford. Picture: Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images.
Beth Coulter of Kirkistown Castle has also made it through to the final in the R&A Girls Amateur Championship at Fulford. Picture: Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images.

In-form Darling has lived up to her billing of the highest-ranked player in the field after the WAGR No 27 showed her class to win quarter-final and semi-final ties.

The Scot stormed to a 9&8 success over Ava Bates in the last eight before holding off a fightback from another English player, Olivia Williams, to win 3&2 in the afternoon.

“It has been a pretty solid week,” said Darling, winner of the St Rule Trophy in St Andrews earlier in the year. “I feel like I have done a lot of things well.

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“It has been a good week and hopefully I can make it a bit better tomorrow. It would be pretty special for me to win at Fulford again.”

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