SIXTEEN YEAR OLD CLARA BIDDING TO BECOME YOUNGEST EVER SCOTTISH AMATEUR CHAMPION

FROM THE SLGA WEBSITE

ELSPETH BURNSIDE REPORTING 

Sixteen-year-old Clara Young set up the chance to become the youngest ever Scottish Ladies’ Amateur Champion when she defeated Rachel Polson (Peterculter) 4 and 3 in the semi-finals at Longniddry this afternoon.

In Saturday morning's (9am tee-off) 18-hole final the North Berwick schoolgirl will face Elderslie’s Alyson McKechin, who defeated 2009 champion, Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), by 2 and 1 at the penultimate stage.  

Young is aiming to follow in the footsteps two East Lothian greats. Jane Connachan (Royal Musselburgh) became the youngest winner as an 18-year-old at Royal Troon in 1982 – North Berwick’s Catriona Matthew was a three-time winner in the early 1990s.

Catriona is now one of Young’s heroines. 

“She is a great person to look up to,” said the youngster. “I have played with her and she has also been great at handing out advice. She even lets me practise on her putting green in her garden.”

It was the form on the greens that propelled Young into the final. She had nine single putts in a 3 and 2 morning quarter-final victory over Megan’s younger sister, Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), and made some crucial hole outs against Polson.

At the short sixth, Polson hit her tee shot to a matter of inches, but Young matched the birdie 2 by downing a 45ft putt from off the green. One up at the turn, the local girl won the 12th, 14th and 15th to close out the match.

McKechin, joint second at the Helen Holm Scottish Open Strokeplay Championship at Troon, is an in-form player and heads the SLGA Order of Merit.

She also turned one up in the semi-final, won the 11^th and made a crucial up and down for a half at the short 13^th. Briggs made a late attempt to get into the final with an eagle at the long 16^th, but McKechin replied with a birdie at the short 16^th and a half at the next ended the contest.

“The Helen Holm gave me a lot of confidence,” said the 19-year-old McKechin from Paisley. “It showed that I could compete at the top.” 

Both finalists are coached by Kevin Craggs. 

“We have done a lot of winter training together,” said McKechin. “Clara is just 16 but I won’t underestimate her. She is a great player.”