Kelsey Continues Hot Streak with Nan's Support

Hunstanton, England: With the support of her 80-year-old nan, Australian Kelsey Bennett continued her brilliant run to progress to the quarter-finals of the 119th Women’s Amateur Championship.

On her first ever visit to the United Kingdom, accompanied by her nan, Patsy, for moral support, Bennett carded three birdies on her way to a 5&4 success against Maylis Lamoure from France in the Round of 16.

Enjoying the warm conditions at Hunstanton, earlier in the day Bennett defeated Curtis Cup player Annabell Fuller, of England, 3&2 in the last-32.

“I like Hunstanton. The course has been very generous with the weather,” said Bennett, joint runner-up in last year’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in Abu Dhabi and a member of her country’s team at last month’s 42nd Queen Sirikit Cup in Singapore.

She added: “Nan decided to come here with me. She hasn’t been here in 40 years. So we decided to come, and she’s been following me around which has been really nice.

“It’s a great course and all the members here are unbelievable, like all the spotters and volunteers out there helping us are amazing.”

Bennett now faces Louise Rydqvist after she notably defeated her fellow-Swede Ingrid Lindblad, who sits second on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). Rydqvist made four birdies en route to going four-up at the turn and she withstood Lindblad’s comeback to win by two holes.

Rydvist was forced to go to an extra hole in the last-32 before edging out Norwegian Emilie Overas.

Meanwhile, Hannah Darling remains on course for an historic treble. The 18-year-old Scot is bidding to become the first player to win the R&A Girls’ Under-16, Girls’ Amateur and Women’s Amateur titles and booked her spot in the last eight after defeating Celina Sattelkau 3&1.

Darling, who recently represented Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup at Merion, had earlier beaten another German, Viktoria Maria Hund, in the last-32 by 4&3.

Darling won last year’s R&A Girls’ Amateur at Fulford, the same venue for her Under-16 success in 2018. She now meets Alessandra Fanali from Italy in the quarter-finals, who was a 2&1 winner over Isabella Fierro.

England’s Rebecca Earl, 22, defeated Italy’s Letizia Bagnoli in sudden-death and then saw off Gala Dumez from France 4&3 as the Bishop’s Stortford player continued to enjoy a memorable week.

Earl now meets Spain’s Carla Bernat, after she ended the hopes of Ffion Tynan who was bidding to became the first Welsh player to win the Women’s Amateur. In their last-16 tie, both players eagled the par-five 11th as Bernat built up a three-up lead but had to hold on for victory on the 18th.

In the bottom half of the draw, Emilie Alba Paltrinieri overcame Viarana Heck from France by one hole and the runner-up in stroke playing qualifying then ended the hopes of local player Amelia Williamson 2&1.

The 20-year-old Italian won the R&A Girls’ Amateur title in 2016 at Royal St David’s and lost in the semi-finals of the Women’s Amateur in 2020 as she prepares to face England’s Jessica Baker today.

Newcastle native Baker, 19, a quarter-finalist last year, booked her spot in this year’s last eight after beating Charlotte Back from Germany 3&2 and Ireland’s Beth Coulter 2&1 in the earlier round.

Fanali joined her team-mate Paltrinieri in the quarter-finals after a 2&1 win against Isabella Fierro from Mexico, having ousted Elsa Svensson from Sweden 3&2 in the morning.

The remaining eight players are bidding to join an impressive list of former winners including LPGA winner Leona Maguire and Major winners Georgia Hall, Catriona Matthew and Anna Nordqvist – last year's AIG Women’s Open Champion at Carnoustie.

The R&A will provide live broadcast coverage of the quarter-finals and semi-finals of this week’s championship today and the 36-hole Final on Saturday. This can be watched on The R&A’s website randa.org as well as its YouTube channel.