Lauren Crump displayed nerves of steel and a masterful performance at the English Girls’ Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Royal Norwich.
With a clutch birdie on the 17th hole and a composed par on the 18th, the 15-year-old from Hill Valley clinched a thrilling one-shot victory over Ellie Lichtenhein, ending the tournament at -3.
Final Round Highlights
Crump’s decisive moment came on the par-3 17th hole. After placing her approach shot close to the pin, she rolled in a crucial birdie putt to break a tie and take a one-shot lead into the final hole. “It’s a massive win, it’s unbelievable really!
I’ve only just turned 15, so to win this is just absolutely incredible!” she exclaimed.
“I holed a lot more putts than I think I’ve ever done before, my putting was just incredible! I just tried to play my steady game, hit greens, two-putt and aim for one or two-under par.”
Lichtenhein, despite a bogey-free back-nine and a final round of 70 (-3), couldn’t quite catch Crump.
Her performance saw her finish 2nd at -2, ahead of Sadie Adams, who secured 3rd place with a level-par final score.
Tournament Dynamics
The final day began with a drizzle, setting a tense atmosphere for the 40 golfers in the field.
Adams, who led by one going into Thursday, struggled in the morning, allowing Crump to surge ahead with a 72 (-1) in the third round.
This positioned Crump at -1, with Lichtenhein two shots behind and Lynn van der Slujis in 3rd.
As the fourth round progressed, Crump extended her lead to three shots by the ninth hole.
However, Lichtenhein’s birdies on 12 and 15 brought her back into contention, levelling the score at -2.
The drama peaked on the 17th hole, where Crump’s birdie gave her the lead she needed to secure the win.
Victory and Beyond
Maintaining her composure, Crump reached the green in three on the par-5 18th and two-putted for par, sealing her victory.
“The last couple of days, I struggled to hit the green on that hole [17th], but in the last round, something just twigged, I hit the green and knew I had to roll it in and I did! I knew then that all I needed was a par or maybe a birdie on the last,” she recounted.
Crump’s victory was doubly sweet as she also received the Hazards Salver, awarded to the leading player from Great Britain and Ireland under the age of 16.
Strong Finishes
Sadie Adams rebounded from a challenging morning to finish 3rd, posting a final round of 69 (-4), the best score of the week.
Matilde Santilli, Elizabeth Wilson, and Grace Crawford tied for 4th at +6. Lila Bisset, Lulu Leetham, Van Der Slujis, and Isabella Taylor-Stokes completed the top 10.
Lauren Crump’s composure and skill under pressure have made her a champion at just 15.
This victory at the English Girls’ Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship is a testament to her talent and promise in the world of golf.
