Liverpool, England: Germany’s Aline Krauter held her never to claim the biggest title of her career at The 117th Women’s Amateur Championship.

The 20-year-old fought back from three down after the opening four holes to defeat England’s Annabell Fuller by one-hole in a dramatic 18-hole final. It continued feelgood success for German golf after Sophia Popov’s AIG Women’s Open triumph last weekend.

On links land along the River Mersey, Krauter – ranked 71st on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) – emerged victorious from an international field of almost 100 players at West Lancashire.

Krauter can now look forward to exemptions into the AIG Women’s Open and, traditionally, the US Women’s Open, The Evian Championship and Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship.

She joins a roll of honour that includes former Women’s Amateur victors like Anna Nordqvist (2008), Georgia Hall (2013), Céline Boutier (2015), Leona Maguire (2017) and her German countrywoman Leonie Harm (2018).

Krauter said: “It’s my biggest win. I won the German Girls in 2016 and then I’ve played decently in some college tournaments in the US but not been close in one. I felt under control out there. I’m not sure what did the trick, but I was quite unphased on the course which I think helped me in the wind and the conditions. It was fun to play in the final.

“I’m now excited to play in the AIG Women’s Open, I’m honoured. I watched Sophia (Popov) win last week, it was amazing. I had a club fitting with her in February before Covid-19 when everything was fine. To play in the event next year at Carnoustie will be amazing.”

Stuggart-born Krauter looked in early trouble when Fuller, who won the English Women’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship last week, claimed successes at the first, second and fourth holes. But Krauter, who attends Stanford University in the US, refused to give in and went on an incredible run, winning six holes out of eight from the fifth, including a near ace at the sixth, to go three-up after 12.

Fuller, ranked 41st on the  WAGR, then produced her own fightback, winning the par-five 16th with a birdie and the short 17th after Krauter had bunker problems. But the German made a safe par-four down the last, with Fuller unable to make birdie.

Krauter added: “I was three down early, but I didn’t panic. It was a rough start but I knew that I had my game and I had played well all week. I wasn’t really worried at that time. I hit a bad shot on the 16th and the 17th wasn’t great as I had a bad lie in the bunker, but on the 18th I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared for a two-putt. It ended up working out.”

Fuller said: “It is tough to take, but it was good fun. I knew I had to play well from the very beginning against a great, great player. Getting off to a good start was great but Aline came back. She played great golf. I tried my best to the very end. This week has given me more motivation to practice even harder and achieve more.”

West Lancashire, which hosted the Women’s Amateur for the first time having staged the Girls’ Amateur Championship in 2009, finally basked in morning sunshine after a difficult week of weather conditions.

In her semi-final, Krauter lost the opening hole to defending champion Emily Toy but then reeled off three birdies in four holes to lead two-up after six. Toy, who was seeking to become the first player to retain the title since Louise Stahle in 2005, battled back to level at the turn. They exchanged holes at the 11th and 13th, before Krauter secured match-winning birdies at the 15th and 16th to win 2&1.

Despite the sunshine, the breezy conditions remained a challenge and Fuller adjusted to the conditions as she raced to a three-up lead after five holes against fellow 18-year-old Emilie Alba Paltrinieri, the 2016 Girls’ Amateur champion. 

Paltrinieri clawed a hole back at the sixth but Fuller then reeled off four holes in a row to go six-up after 10 holes. Paltrinieri arrowed an approach to three feet at the short 12th to keep her hopes alive, but Fuller ended proceedings with a half at the 14th to seal a 5&4 success.

The championship, which was safely played as a closed-door event due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be contested next year at Kilmarnock (Barassie) in Ayrshire, Scotland from June 8-12.