Ffion Tynan (Minchinhampton GC)

Welsh golfer Ffion Tynan highlighted her growing potential with victory in the Scottish Girls’ Open Championship at a blustery Monifieth near Dundee.

Tynan, the 15-year-old from Minchinhampton GC, secured both the Under 16 and Under 18 honours at the Angus venue, finishing as the only player under par to claim a two-stroke victory over English duo Rosie Belsham (Whitley Bay), also an Under 16, and Natasha Slater (Ulverston).

Slater looked in control of proceedings in the challenging conditions, but dropped six shots in the last five holes, including a double bogey on the 16^th, to open the door to the chasing pack.

Tynan stepped in with a steady closing 72, helped by a birdie on the 17^th and a confident closing par, for a one-under-par total for her three rounds.
Ffion, who represented Great Britain and Ireland in the Junior Vagliano Trophy match last year, said: “I was really excited going into the last day. I was trying to be really aggressive, get a couple of putts dropping and put pressure on my playing partners being behind.

“I was just hoping to get a top-three finish but I knew I was capable of getting more if I did everything I wanted to do. I kept myself positive, believed in myself and tried to deliver.

“I haven’t won both categories before, but I’ve had a few events where I’ve gone to the wire.”

Despite the weather, Tynan enjoyed the challenge posed on Scotland’s East Coast.

“The weather hasn’t been great this week, but I really enjoyed it,” she said. “It’s a great course, I loved it, even in the wind and cold. There was pressure from the course as well as the players.

“I’ve just got my World Amateur Golf Ranking now and I’m hoping to get my handicap to a plus figure by the end of the year. Now that I know I can win higher categories as well, rather than my own age category, is great for my confidence.”

“It was very tough out there in the wind, it was strong. I had played in Scotland before, various events, and also in England, so I was used to it. I really like links golf, but I had never experienced that kind of wind before so it was probably the toughest I’ve played in.”

In the Scottish Boys event played in Montrose, two Wales internationals had top 10 finishes with Archie Davies of Carlisle finishing tied fourth and James Ashfield of Delamere Forest 10^th.

Wales golf director of performance Gillian O’Leary added, “This was a really good win for Ffion, especially as she has a couple of years left in this age group.

“It shows the winter work has paid off and she is ready to build on the experience of being part of the Junior Vagliano Trophy team last year.”

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