Caitlin's Conqueror Claims Women's Amateur Crown

Kent, England: Chiara Horder has won The 120th Women’s Amateur Championship after a convincing 7&6 win over Annabelle Pancake in the 36-hole Final 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 at the half-way stage, Horder surged to victory in the afternoon session thanks to consistent driving, precise iron play and an excellent short game which included four birdies on par-threes.

Horder, who knocked out Australian Caitlin Peirce in the Round of 16, has secured places in the field for the Amundi Evian Championship and AIG Women’s Open this summer and the Chevron Championship and US Women’s Open in 2024 by virtue of her win.

The German national team player, ranked 273rd on the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), will also, by tradition, receive an invitation to compete in next year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship.

Horder said: “I feel amazing. I’m so happy. I am so fortunate to win. It’s one of the biggest amateur championships – I can’t believe it. 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.”

Horder, who eliminated 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 and Leona Maguire.

Pancake, 21, was bidding to be the first winner from the United States 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.

However, there was to be no win for Pancake on her first-ever visit to the United Kingdom as Horder become the third player to win The Women’s Amateur at Prince’s. Joyce Wethered earned the first of her four victories in 1922 and American Carol Sorenson triumphed in 1964.

Pancake said: “My goal is always to beat the golf course and the golf course kind of kicked me around today. Chiara played great. She definitely had a great day and I kind of struggled but that’s okay. I’m so thankful that I was able to come here and that I had a great time.

“With my mum, Libby, caddying, we had fun. We didn’t get into any arguments so that’s always a positive thing! It was then so cool to see my dad. He told me that he might be able to make it so I wasn’t for sure. But when I saw him it was such a special thing.”

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, with Horder coming out on top after a wonderful week of golf on the Kent coast.

In the morning session, Horder made a fast start. After Pancake’s bogey at the first, Horder made birdies at the opening two par-threes, the third and fifth, to go three-up. In the softer conditions after overnight rain, Pancake, 123rd on WAGR, made a timely birdie at the ninth to reduce the deficit and receive a warm hug from her father who had just arrived after his travels.

Nevertheless, a double-bogey at the 10th from Pancake after a poor drive and a third birdie two of the morning from Horder on the 11th, following more accurate iron play, extended the lead to four holes. The American again claimed one back with a birdie at the long 12th before the highlight of the morning came at the 13th when Horder holed a 40-yard chip.

Pancake once more replied with a birdie at 15 only for Horder to drive the green at the par-four 16th and restore a four-up lead. Pancake’s third birdie of the back nine gave her hope going into the afternoon action, but Horder was in command at three-up after playing 18 holes in four-under-par.

In the afternoon, a combination of Horder’s excellent play and difficulties for Pancake saw the German claim the title.

Horder birdied the par-five 20th and again the short 21st for a five-hole lead before a number of troubles for Pancake which saw her make bogeys at the 22nd and 23rd. A seven-hole lead soon became eight after another bogey from the American at the 25th.

Pancake’s first birdie of the afternoon at the 26th reduced the deficit and another came at the 29th to cut the lead to six, but an excellent iron shot from Horder at the par-five 30th sealed the victory.

Horder’s triumph adds to German amateur and professional success after Antonia Steiner won the Girls’ Under-16 Amateur Championship at Enville in April, while Sophia Popov won the AIG Women’s Open in 2020.