Coulter set for Fulford rematch with Darling for Girls' Amateur
YORK, ENGLAND - AUGUST 13: Beth Coulter of Kirkistown Castle in action during her semi-final match on day four of the R&A Girls Amateur Championship at Fulford Golf Club on August 13, 2021 in York, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Kirkistown Castle’s Beth Coulter will have a chance to exact some revenge when she faces Scotland’s Hannah Darling in the final of the R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship at Fulford.
Darling won the inaugural R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship at the Yorkshire venue in 2018, the Scot closing with a 40-foot birdie putt to seal a dramatic victory after Coulter slipped up and went out of bounds on the 18th.
Now they will go head-to-head in tomorrow’s eagerly awaited 18-hole final at Fulford after they both came through stroke play qualifying and four match play rounds to set up their meeting.
In-form Darling has lived up to her billing of the highest-ranked player in the field – currently 27th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking – after the 18-year-old again showed her class to win quarter-final and semi-final ties.
Darling was selected for the forthcoming Curtis Cup at the start of the week and has shone in the match play environment at Fulford, storming to a 9&8 success over Ava Bates in the last eight before holding off a fightback from another English player, Olivia Williams, to win 3&2.
She has continued an exceptional summer, including winning the St Rule Trophy, finishing runner-up at the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open Championship, and reaching the quarter-finals of The Women’s Amateur Championship and Scottish Women’s Amateur Championship.
Coulter, 17, has also enjoyed a consistent season, including winning the Irish Girls’ Close Championship and a runner-up finish in the Irish Women's Amateur Close Championship.
That form has continued at Fulford where she defeated England’s Ellen Yates in the last eight and then edged out fellow English player, Maggie Whitehead, in a tense tussle by 2&1 – helped by a chip-in for par on the 16th.
YORK, ENGLAND - AUGUST 13: Hannah Darling of Broomieknowe in action during her semi-final match on day four of the R&A Girls Amateur Championship at Fulford Golf Club on August 13, 2021 in York, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
This week’s winner gains exemptions to the R&A Women’s Amateur Championship, the US Girls’ Junior Championship, AIG Women’s Open Final Qualifying and, by tradition, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
“It’s so good to reach the final, especially against Hannah,” Coulter said. “It should be a great day. We actually said last week at the Home Internationals it would be nice if we reached the final at Fulford, a couple of girls were joking about that. I can’t believe it has now happened.
“We were joking about it because of 2018 and me trying to get my revenge on her! She has had a great year and I feel like I’ve done well too.
“Maggie and I had a great game in the semi-final. It was really tight and hopefully having a match like that stands me in good stead for tomorrow.
“I absolutely love this course at Fulford and it’s great to reach the final and have that chance to beat Hannah.”
As for Darling, she’s looking forward to a rematch with Coulter on Saturday.
“There is that history with me and Beth,” she said. “She is a great player and I’ve always respected her. In the Under-16s in 2018, you would never wish that on anyone (going out of bounds on the final hole), so tomorrow should be a good game.
“I see her quite a lot, we are good friends, and it’s always hard playing against one of your friends. It would be pretty special for me to win at Fulford again.”
Saturday’s final begins at 9 am. Live scoring, news and video can be followed on The R&A’s website and social media platforms.
