Major Chances Beckon for Victorious Valentine

Gullane, Scotland: France’s Valentine Delon emerged victorious in The 123rd Women’s Amateur Championship by narrowly beating Andrea Revuelta in the 36-hole final at Muirfield.

The 21-year-old Virginia Tech student took an early lead and held off several fightbacks from her battling Spanish opponent before completing a 3&1 triumph.

The first French player to lift the trophy since Céline Boutier in 2015, Delon joins an impressive list of Women’s Amateur winners that includes Leona Maguire, Georgia Hall and Anna Nordqvist.

Having visited the East Lothian venue two weeks earlier, she used all of that knowledge to master the elements on a warm day when strong winds gusted across the renowned links.

The success earns her a place in four Major championships – The Amundi Evian Championship and the AIG Women’s Open this summer, as well as the Chevron Championship and the US Women’s Open presented by Ally in 2027. 

Delon will also, by tradition, earn a spot in next year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur as well as invitations to August’s Standard Portland Classic on the LPGA Tour and a Ladies European Tour event.

It was a momentous day for Delon who fought back from back surgery in 2019 and was placed 66th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) when she arrived as part of a stellar international field at Muirfield this week.

After two level-par rounds in stroke play qualifying, she overcame Zoe Cusack, Samantha Olson, Meja Örtengren, Matilda Bjorkman and Savannah De Bock in the match play stages. In the last two of those victories, she was never behind, an achievement she repeated in the final, despite her opponent’s best efforts. 

Delon said: “It’s amazing. I don’t think it feels real right now but it’s just the best thing ever. I practised every day to be in this situation. The conditions were really hard today, but being the champion and putting my name on this trophy is amazing.

“I tried not to leave space (in the score). Every time she was coming back, I was just trying to take the next hole. It’s amazing (not to be behind in either of the last two days). I don't know how I did that. I just think I was putting in a lot of intensity, trying to not give space to my opponent and being really hard on my mindset.”

Revuelta, 20, placed fourth on the WAGR, has been a ferocious competitor all week, winning a series of tight matches, including a memorable semi-final against American Farah O’Keefe. 

The Stanford University player did everything she could to stay in touch during a windswept final at Muirfield, which hosted the AIG Women’s Open in 2022 and was staging The Women’s Amateur Championship for the first time.

Two down after just three holes in the morning, she responded with back-to-back birdies and was all square at the turn. On a tough back nine, she again fell two down but reduced the gap on the 16th and halved the next with an inspired bunker shot.

That Delon was two ahead at lunchtime was thanks to her outstanding chip from greenside rough on the 18th. While Revuelta missed a short putt for par, Delon stayed calm to take the hole.

It was a similar story in the afternoon. Delon won the 19th, but her three-hole advantage was soon wiped out when Revuelta took the 22nd, 23rd and 24th. 

As the wind strengthened further, the French player set about rebuilding another three-hole lead and this time it was enough. Three straight pars and a birdie on the penultimate hole completed her win. 

The 124th Women’s Amateur Championship will be held at Royal Cinque Ports in England from June 21-26 next year.