Staff WriterHavanna Torstensson, the cool-headed Swede with a name like a Bond girl and the nerve of a veteran prizefighter, announced herself in style at the 122nd Women’s Amateur Championship at Nairn.
On a Moray coastline bathed in Scottish sunshine—a rare meteorological feat in itself—the 17-year-old pulled off a stunning 2&1 upset over Curtis Cup standout Patience Rhodes to storm into the last-32.
Now, let’s talk context. Havanna Torstensson isn’t exactly burning up the World Amateur Golf Ranking, sitting at a humble No. 613.
Havanna Torstensson, Sweden: “It’s very cool because Patience is so good. When I saw the draw, I got a little bit nervous because I know how good she is. But I also know that I can play some good golf in match play and I managed to settle into the match.
“I won two holes in a row at 12 and 13 to get two-up and that got me some momentum. I just kept going. Winning the Girls’ Amateur Championship last year gave me confidence and proves that I can play some good golf in match play, A Girls’ and Women’s Amateur double would be cool.”
Meanwhile, her English opponent? Top-30 on the planet. And part of Catriona Matthew’s victorious squad that gave the Americans a proper pasting at Sunningdale last year.
On paper, this was David vs. Goliath. On grass? It was a clinical dismantling.
Torstensson—who’s had a wobbly 2025 season by her own standards—dug deep to find her match play mojo just in time.
“Gutsy” doesn’t begin to cover it. After a jittery front nine, she flipped the script on the 12th hole, carding a bogey that somehow beat Rhodes’ worse woes. Then she doubled her lead on the 13th, and despite a birdie-off on the 14th, Torstensson held firm like a player with nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Not bad for someone still legally restricted from renting a car.
Of course, this isn’t Sweden’s first tango with the Women’s Amateur. Three of Torstensson’s compatriots have already etched their names into the Championship’s silverware—and all of them did it on Scottish turf. The omens, as they say, are stacked like IKEA flat-packs in her favour.
But she wasn’t the only headline of the day.
America’s Jasmine Koo, the tournament’s top seed, treated the course like a personal catwalk, strutting to a no-nonsense 7&5 demolition of South Korea’s Judy Joo—who had only just survived a gruelling seven-hole playoff.
Koo, all poise and precision, took the first six holes straight out the gate and never looked back. Two birdies, 11 pars, and a statement win that says: catch me if you can.
Jasmine Koo, United States of America: “I won my first six holes of the day, so I would say that was a pretty good start. After that I tried not to get ahead of myself. I shot two-under-par, two birdies, no bogeys, and it’s hard to beat somebody who doesn’t make mistakes.
“I definitely embraced being the number one seed. I don’t think there’s added pressure, although I did tell my caddie, ‘hey, I can’t be number one and lose in the round of 64’. I think I’m more free when I play match play golf. I’m not burdened by, ‘oh my gosh I’m five-under’. I’m just trying to win every hole and, if I feel good, there’s no telling how low I can go.”
India’s Mannat Brar turned heads, too, with a 5&4 masterclass over Germany’s Uma Bergner.
A birdie blitz in her first three holes set the tone for a performance worthy of her semi-final finish in last year’s Girls’ Amateur.
Meanwhile, the USA’s Catherine Park—currently the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 7—cruised past Paula Schulz-Hanssen 5&3.
Over on the Aussie front, Jasmine Roberts showed no mercy with a 7&6 thrashing of England’s Sophia Fullbrook.
And for the home crowd? Hannah Darling delivered. Scotland’s top hope, and a two-time semi-finalist, treated the gallery to a bit of magic by holing out from a bunker on the 16th to knock out Sweden’s Alice Johansson 4&2. She’s still in the hunt, and you can bet the bagpipes will be on standby if she keeps this up.
Tomorrow sees the last-32 and last-16 rounds, and it’s all to play for. The spoils for this year’s winner? A golden ticket into a golf lover’s dream: the AIG Women’s Open, The Amundi Evian Championship, the US Women’s Open, the Chevron Championship, and—if that’s not enough—an invitation to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Spectators are welcome at Nairn (free of charge, no less), and the R&A is bringing the drama to your screens with live streaming on R&A TV, YouTube, and Sky Sports.
So, whether you’re into rising stars or rooting for underdogs, keep an eye on Havanna Torstensson. Because after today, nobody’s underestimating her again.
Scoring and schedule available at: www.randa.org
