UCLA-bound Wilson denies Grant third Close title
Winner Annabel Wilson (Lurgan) after her victory at the 2019 Irish Women's Close Amateur Championship at Woodbrook Golf Club (23/06/2019). Picture by Pat Cashman
Annabel Wilson is looking forward to an exciting summer and a stellar college career with UCLA after she denied Paula Grant a third Irish Women's Close title on the 19th at Woodbrook.
A two-time Irish Girls’ champion, the Lurgan star (18) came into the event feeling rusty after taking nearly three months out of the game to concentrate on her A levels.
But it proved no impediment at the Bray venue where she beat leading qualifier Jessica Ross 4&2 in the morning semi-finals before finishing strongly against a jaded Grant in the decider.
"It hasn't hit me. I think it will on the drive home - I am delighted, it's been a marathon this week," said Wilson, who has twice represented Ireland in the World Amateur Team Championships, winning an historic first bronze with Leona Maguire and Olivia Mehaffey in Mexico in 2016. “I'm knackered, but I'm buzzing."
Playing her fifth event in less than eight weeks, World Amateur No. 99 Grant beat Castlewarden's Lauren Walsh by one hole in her semi-final, but when two up with two to play against Wilson, she bunkered her tee shot at the 17th and three-putted to lose to a bogey.
She then conceded the 18th after she failed to find the green in three and Wilson hit a 250-yard drive and an approach to 10 feet to take the final to extra holes.
Returning to the par-five first, Wilson hit another bullet drive and easily found the green in regulation from around 30 yards short as Grant drove behind a conifer and took three more to find the green, effectively costing her a third Irish crown.
"I was just enjoying it," Wilson said of their battle down the stretch. "No nerves at all. She gave me one at the par-three 17th, we both made sloppy errors there. But at the 18th I hit a lovely approach shot in there. Then on the tie hole, I needed two rhythmic swings, and that's what I did."
She's now looking forward to a summer without books and with the European Team Championships in Sardinia the next event on her agenda, she's excited about what lies ahead with California calling.
"That's always a fun week, again it's a marathon, and it will be really warm so I'll need to get my fitness up after this week, get a bit of rest and go at it again," she said.
”Then I'm going to play European Individual, and it's not long until I go to America, which I'm really excited about!"
Wilson is heading for UCLA in September and joins Arizona State's Olivia Mehaffey, Auburn's Julie McCarthy and Louisville's Mairead Martin on the NCAA Division 1 circuit.
"I can't wait, I've literally been counting down the days for the last two years!" said Wilson, who also claimed the Sybill Meharg trophy for best U18 in stroke play qualifying.
"It's brilliant. They've a great golf programme, and they've produced so many LPGA Tour players, and that's where I want to be so I think it's the perfect school for me."
Ross returns to Belfast with the Leitrim Cup while Emma Fleming won the Ita Wallace Plate with a 2&1 win over Douglas' Clodagh Coughlan.
Irish Women’s Close Championship, Woodbrook Golf Club
Semi Final — A Wilson bt J Ross 4&2; P Grant bt L Walsh 1 hole.
Final — A Wilson bt P Grant 19th
