It’s been a long winter for the golfers of the county but with the warmer weather just around the corner, 14-year old Roisin Scanlon has resumed her meteoric rise through the golfing ranks.
The Bedford Girls School student enjoyed a breakout season last year with a multitude of victories as high as Under-18 age group level, as well as making her pro debut in the Rose Series as a 12-year old the previous year.
Read: Scanlon wins Under-18 South East England Schools Championship
Now though, her new season has kicked off with a bang with victory in the prestigious Under-16 Scottish Open last weekend alongside older European golfers.
Roisin also secured third in the overall Championship, with fellow English golfer, Rachel Gourley securing first place, followed by Germany’s Philipa Gollan.
In conditions more suited to Winter, the field had to overcome freezing conditions with heavy rain and winds up to 40mph making scoring difficult, but Scanlon found a way through to secure her first title of the season.
The 54-hole competition began on Wednesday 6th April and by the time darkness had fallen, Scanlon was in a share of the overall lead with a stunning -3 round of 70.
In more difficult conditions on Thursday, Scanlon had dropped back to 5th in the overall competition and 2nd in the Under-16 category.
Late drama secures Under-16 title for Roisin
However, the theatre was to play out in dramatic fashion late into the final round, with Scanlon three shots behind France’s Juliette Demeaux in the Under-16 Championship with five holes to play.
Roisin pulled a shot back on the 15th, before chipping in on 17 for birdie and claiming another shot on the last to win the Under-16 title by one shot, finishing on level par for the tournament.
Gourley and Gollan were seven and five shots ahead respectively in the overall competition, but Scanlon will return next year to defend her Under-16 title, while having another crack a the overall Scottish Girls Open title.
After the win, Scanlon said: “It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride this week in the wind and sun and rain, but I’m excited to win.
“I’m still only 14, but have been playing in these events for a while now without ever winning. I was always aspiring to get to this point and it really means a lot to me to take this prize.
“It’s nice to have a win under my belt and to take the confidence forward from the week.”
It’s another feather in the cap of Roisin Scanlon who continues to defy her age and compete in the upper echelons of Under-16 and Under-18 Championships both at home and abroad.
Her Scottish Girls Open victory is the perfect kick start to what will hopefully be a successful season for Scanlon, with big competitions on the horizon.
