Staff WriterIn a match that had everything but bagpipes on roller skates, Spain’s Paula Martin Sampedro triumphed over Farah O’Keefe of the United States to win the 122nd Women’s Amateur Golf Championship at Nairn.
And make no mistake, this wasn’t just golf—it was theatre. High drama on the dunes, with a touch of tartan.
Martin Sampedro, all of 19 and already ranked 12th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking®, edged out O’Keefe by a 2&1 margin in a duel that will be replayed in golfing folklore—and probably on YouTube—many times over.
She’s now the sixth Spanish champion of this prestigious event and the first since Azahara Muñoz lifted the trophy back in 2009.
“This was a match that could’ve been mistaken for the final scene of Braveheart if they’d swapped swords for 5-irons,” one might say.
The quality? Ridiculous. The tension? Palpable. And the result? A well-earned victory that vaults Martin Sampedro straight into elite company.
Her win at the Women’s Amateur Championship does more than just add a shiny trophy to the cabinet.
The Madrid native now has golden tickets to this summer’s Amundi Evian Championship and AIG Women’s Open, along with spots in the 2026 Chevron Championship and the US Women’s Open.
Not bad for a week’s work. She’ll also tee it up at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and receive a start in a Ladies’ European Tour event—because when tradition tips its hat, it does so with flourish.
“I still can’t believe it,” she might have said, had she not been so composed throughout 35 holes of near-flawless shotmaking. She was eight-under-par across the final, fending off O’Keefe’s relentless charge like a matador in the 18th round of a bullfight.
The match opened with both players trading birdies like kids swapping stickers—six of them in the first six holes. The morning session saw a staggering ten birdies, 26 pars, and not a single bogey between them. Golf, but on fast-forward and with barely a blemish.
The quality didn’t dip after lunch. Piped onto the first tee with traditional Highland flair, Martin Sampedro quickly took the lead as O’Keefe blinked first with the match’s opening bogey.
But this was no procession. The American roared back after the Spaniard’s sole bogey at the 21st, and by the 28th, O’Keefe had uncorked an eagle to square the match once again. Think Ali v. Frazier, but with sun visors.
The decisive blows came late. Martin Sampedro edged ahead on the 31st after O’Keefe’s second approach rolled down the slope like a runaway whisky barrel.
A missed two-footer on the 32nd and another heartbreaker at the 33rd saw the American’s comeback bid unravel.
By the 35th, Martin Sampedro calmly rolled in a par putt and raised her arms in victory, having sealed one of the most coveted crowns in women’s amateur golf.
Paula Martin Sampedro, Spain
On the victory: “It honestly doesn’t feel real yet. I feel like I played pretty solid golf today but the match was super tight all the way. I knew it was going to come down to the last few holes so I stayed patient and it went my way.
“I feel like we both played great to the level of a Final of The Women’s Amateur. I think we both need to be super happy but I’m definitely excited to call myself a champion. I think it’s going to take a while to just sink in.”
On the support of her caddie and team-mate, Paula Francisco: “Paula’s the best. We played against each other unfortunately in the quarter-finals but I’m super grateful to have had her by my side these past two matches.
“She’s definitely been key for me. I don’t think I would have been able to do this without her, just with the shots and giving me a lot of confidence. I’m just really happy and will be grateful for life.”
On major exemptions: “I’m super excited. I actually played my first major a couple weeks ago at the US Women’s Open and it was a great experience. I’m happy to just have given myself a chance to play more in the coming weeks.
“It’s great to play more links golf at the end of the summer at the AIG Women’s Open. Hopefully I can get my coach (Alejandro Larrazábal) to caddie. He actually won The Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl (in 2002). I guess that’s just like destiny or coincidence. That’s going to be super cool.”
The match was streamed live by The R&A and broadcast by Sky Sports, allowing armchair golfers worldwide to witness what might be the most finely played Women’s Amateur Championship final in recent memory.
Let’s not forget the venue. Nairn, founded in 1887 and steeped in golfing history, became only the second-time host of the championship. The last time it happened here was in 1979, when Maureen Madill lifted the trophy—proof that good things come to those who wait 45 years.
Next year, the 123rd edition of the Women’s Amateur Championship will head to Muirfield, from 22–27 June 2026. And if it comes close to what we just witnessed in Nairn, pack your binoculars and prepare for another classic.
For full scores and highlights, visit www.randa.org. But fair warning: after watching this final, your weekend four-ball might feel just a tad underwhelming.
