Leonie Harm books Women's British Open spot with Ladies Amateur win
Saturday 30 June 2018 19:58, UK
Leonie Harm booked her place in the Women’s British Open field by winning the Ladies Amateur Championship final at Hillside.
The world amateur No 33 despatched Canada's Jaclyn Lee 4&3 in the semi-finals before seeing off America's Stephanie Lau 3&2 in the final to become the first German to win the event.
As well as seeing her qualify for Royal Lytham & St Annes in August, Harm also gains exemptions into the 2018 Evian Championship, next year's US Women's Open, and the inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship.
Golf
"I'm thrilled to be the champion of course, everyone loves to win," Harm said. "I love when I can rely on my game, when my strengths are actually my strengths and I've hit my iron shots close all week."
Harm was handed the lead when Lau posted back-to-back bogeys from the third, only for the American to respond with successive gains over her next holes.
Lau posted bogeys at the seventh and ninth and found herself three down when Harm birdied the 10th, before the pair exchanged gains at the next.
Harm saw her lead reduced with a first blemish of the round at the par-four 15th, only to roll in a five-footer for par at the next - where Lau bogeyed - to complete her victory.
