Sandra Nordaas first Norwegian to win British title since Skarpnord in 2003 after quality final of 10 birdies

 

Sandra Nordaas, an 18-year-old from Oslo, has become the first Norwegian to win the British girls U18 open amateur championship since Marian Skarpnord claimed  the prestigious title in 2003.

In this afternoon's final at West Kilbride Golf Club, watched by a good-sized gallery, Sandra beat Marta Perez Sanmartin, a 16-year-old from Valencia - one of the 28 Spanish entries - by 2 and 1 in a final of rate quality.

There were 10 birdies in total over the 17 holes. Nordas had six of them and Sanmartin four, all over the last nine holes, as she fought to get on terms with the Norwegian. But she never did.

Nordas never trailed and was six under par at the finish. Ironically, the two players had  been drawn together for the 36-hole stroke-play test at the start of the week. Both had played eight rounds over the week, not counting the practice before that.

"Yes, I am a little bit tired. I'm going home for a long rest. My game was in good shape all week but I think my putting was what won me the title," said Nordas who has the same coach, Englishman Darren Webster Clark that Skarpnord had as an amateur.

 

 

  Marta Perez Sanmartin (left), Nancy Chisholm (starter), Sandra Nordaas (right) on first tee at West Kilbride before start of the 2015 British girls open amateur championship final. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

Sandra Nordaas is new British open amateur girls' champion with 2 and 1 victory

Sandra Nordaas from Oslo, bidding to become the first Norwegian since Marianne Skarpnord in 2003 to win the British girls open amateur championship, drew first blood in the final at West Kilbride Golf Club this afternoon..

After a half in par 4s at the first against 16-year-old Marta Perez Sanmartin from Malaga, Sandra (pictured on the tee at the first), birdied the second to take a one-hole lead.

Nordaas (18) has the same coach as Skarpnord had during her amateur days, Englishman Darren Webster Clark.

Ranked No 522 in the world, Nordaas, conqueror of World No 3 female amateur Maria Parra (Spain) at the 19th in the morning semi-finals, went two up by holing a birdie putt of some 18ft at the short fourth

Sanmartin, who had ousted the World No 43, Ana Pelaez (Spain)by 2 and 1 in the semi-finals, has a world ranking of 218e fi

The fifth and sixth holes were halved in par 4s and the seventh in par 5s, leaving Nordaas two up approaching the turn.

The Norwegian had a birdie 2 at the ninth after leaving her tee shot only 3 feet from the flagstick. That put her three up at  the turn but Sanmartin won her first hole of the round, with a birdie at the 10th, to be two down on the 11th tee.

Nordaas quickly regained a three-hole advantage with a birdie 3 at the 11th, leaving her approach shot only 3ft from hole.

Sanmartin, who had gone nine holes without winning one, suddenly wins two out of three on the trot. She holed a 10ft birdie putt for a 2 at the short 12th to be only two down and within striking distance as they entered the last six holes. 

 Nordaas opened up a two-hole lead again with a birdie 3 at the 14th. It was the Norwegian's fifth birdie in 14 holes. Her Spanish opponent did not birdi a hole until the 10th but has had three of them in her last five holes. This match is not over yet ...

The 15th was halved in four, the first hole to be halved since the eighth in an absorbing battle for lfing supremacy. 

Sanmartin drove the green at the par-4 16th (292yd) and two-putted afor a birdie 3 which Nordaas, short with her drive, could not match with a pitch and putt.

Nordaas now only one up with two to play.

Nordaas won the 17th with a birdie 4 - her sixth of a quality conest - pitching her third shot close enough to be conceded it. Sanmartin was left with an 8ft putt for a half, which she missed. 

Referee Gillian Kirkwood, Marta Perez Sanmartin, Nancy Chisholm, Sandra Nordass and the local volunteer for the match scoreboard.