Kajitani Has Her Eyes on Smyth Salver Prize

Carnoustie, Scotland: Tsubasa Kajitani will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of Atthaya Thitikul when she lines up alongside the best female players in the world at this week’s AIG Women’s Open.

Following her triumph in the inaugural Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in 2018, Thai Atthaya won the Smyth Salver as the leading amateur in the AIG Women’s Open, one of five Major championships in the women’s professional game.

Following a strong showing in last week’s Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open, 18-year-old Atthaya is expected to be among the contenders to lift the top prize at Carnoustie this week.

And while the Thai has her sights on a maiden Major crown, the focus of Japan's Kajitani is on the Smyth Salver, which is being contested by six of the world’s best female amateurs.

The 17-year-old from Okayama sprung to global prominence in April when she won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Tied at one-over-par 289 in regulation with American Emilia Migliaccio, Kajitani prevailed with a par on the first play-off hole.

Presented to the leading amateur who completes all four rounds at the AIG Women’s Open, the Smyth Salver has an impressive roll of honour that includes Major champions Michelle Wie West (2005), Anna Nordqvist (2008), Danielle Kang (2011), Lydia Ko (2012, 2013), and Georgia Hall (2013).

The championship offers those amateurs who have qualified with the opportunity to compete against one of the strongest and most international fields of the season.

As many as 10 of the last 14 Smyth Salver winners are set to compete in the 2021 AIG Women’s Open as professionals, with 12 of the last 15 recipients recording professional victories on either the LPGA, Symetra Tour or Ladies European Tour since winning the award.

Leading the charge for Smyth Salver success is America’s Rose Zhang, who enters this week as the 2021 McCormack Medal winner, having been the leading women’s amateur golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) for a second consecutive year.

The 18-year-old is no stranger to the big stage, having captured the 2021 US Girls’ Junior and 2020 US Women’s Amateur championships while she recorded a tied 11th finish at the 2020 ANA Inspiration.

Making her debut in the AIG Women’s Open, the Californian said: “I am really looking forward to playing golf in Scotland again having first visited in 2019 for The PING Junior Solheim Cup. Carnoustie has a reputation as being one of the toughest tests in golf and it is an exciting challenge for me to see how my game holds up against some of the world’s best players.”

Joining her in the race is home favourite Louise Duncan, who won the 118th Women’s Amateur Championship at Kilmarnock (Barassie) in June, Germany’s Aline Krauter, who qualified with victory in the 117th Women’s Amateur Championship in 2020, the 2021 European Ladies’ Amateur Champion Ingrid Lindblad of Sweden, and Ireland’s Lauren Walsh, who qualified as the highest ranked Great Britain and Ireland golfer on the WAGR.