Yorkshire golf: Rotherham GC's Olivia Winning took low route to produce high of winning at Troon

RAPID recalibration after the first hole of her final round helped point Rotherham GC's Olivia Winning towards her second Scottish women's open stroke play championship in three years.
Rotherham GC's Olivia Winning with the Helen Holm Scottish women's open stroke play championship trophy at Royal Troon GC.Rotherham GC's Olivia Winning with the Helen Holm Scottish women's open stroke play championship trophy at Royal Troon GC.
Rotherham GC's Olivia Winning with the Helen Holm Scottish women's open stroke play championship trophy at Royal Troon GC.

The Yorkshire county player adopted a low approach to seeking the greens at Royal Troon GC after her 120-yard wedge shot at the opening hole flew over the putting surface, wind-assisted.

And it paid rich dividends, leading to a level-par final 18 that, added to opening scores of 73 72, gave her a one-shot victory.

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Winning, whose previous triumph had been in the event in 2013, said: “At the first hole I played three wood and I had 120 yards into the green.

“I hit a steady wedge and it went through the back of the green, which was crazy.

“After that I was playing shots 30 yards short of the green and letting them roll up because it was so windy.”

The elements may have played a part in her triumph as Ireland’s Olivia Mehaffey, leading by four going into the last round, bogeyed four of her last six holes.

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“I knew the course was playing tough, so I wasn’t surprised people were shooting high scores,” she said.

“I went into the scorers’ hut and she said, ‘don’t move too far, it could be quite tight’.

“ I thought, ‘cool’, but I was thinking more that I might finish in the top three. Then I came out of the scorers’ hut and there was a guy with a phone, obviously getting live scores, and he said, ‘do you know you are leading?’ and I was really surprised.

“I knew then Mehaffey was one over playing the last three holes and as they were all into the wind I knew it would be tough.”

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Winning had been working on playing low shots after battling the elements the previous week in a tournament in Ireland.

“Before I went to Ireland I was practising punch after punch after punch shot because I knew it was going to be windy,” she recalled. “Unfortunately everything went left every time I tried to hit it low.

“It was slightly worrying before a tournament, but Ireland helped; even though I didn’t play great there it was a good preparation for Troon.

“I’ve been doing work on my swing generally because of pulling shots to the left, but with the punch shots it just seemed to be exaggerated.”

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The victory has put Winning at the top of the nascent England Order of Merit standings as she heads into the Welsh Open ladies amateur stroke play championship – which starts at Conwy GC today – along with fellow White Rose players Megan Garland (Selby GC), Huddersfield GC’s Megan Lockett, and Rochelle Morris and Melissa Wood, of Woodsome Hall GC.

Playing in an area she describes as “the nicest place on the planet” clearly helped as she put behind her the vagaries of a “weird year” leading up to Troon that has seen good play marred by the occasional card-destroying hole, such as an eight and a nine in the Portuguese ladies amateur championship.

“I love that tournament (the Helen Holm Scottish women’s open stroke play championship at Royal Troon),” she said.

“My grandparents on my dad, Robert’s, side are Scottish – so my dad is kind of Scottish,” she laughed.

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“We visited Scotland a lot when I was a kid, we would go there and see our relatives.

“Scotland is pretty special to us and I just love the course at Troon. In fact, everything about Troon is beautiful, not just the course but Troon in general.

“I must’ve been 14 the first time I played the event and I’ve been back every year, I love it that much.”

Winning is thankful for the support of her parents, Robert and Angela, in helping her play the amateur circuit, and she builds up funds for what will be an expensive summer by working as a waitress.

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“I work in a restaurant part-time, but I don’t start until five and that means I have all day to practise,” she said.

“I would definitely like to turn pro at some stage and play on the Ladies European Tour. I’ll have to see how this season goes and possibly go to Qualifying School at the end of this year.”

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