Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez closed out victory in the European Ladies’ Amateur Championship with a sensational final 36 holes at Tegelberga Golfklubb in Sweden. The 20-year-old Mississippi State junior carded 70-76-63-67 to total 8-under 276, which left her two shots ahead of compatriot Carla Bernat Escuder and three clear of Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad, the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
High wind had made life difficult for the field until the halfway stage, although Lindblad appeared impervious as she posted a pair of 69s to claim a one-shot lead which few expected her to concede on home soil, and which she still held with 18 holes to play.
The Spaniards were having none of it, however. Lopez Ramirez had started the third round in a share of 28th and raced through the field with an error-free 63 that included eight birdies. Two bogeys in the first three holes of the final round, and four in total, threatened to derail her challenge, but she responded with another eight birdies, three of them in a row from the 16th to claim the title in style.
After being mobbed by teammates, she said: “It feels amazing to have made this fight back, and it is very Spanish to have lots of celebrations.” There has been much for the nation to celebrate in this summer of European amateur golf. Jose Luis Ballester won the men’s European Amateur Championship, and Spain claimed three of the four categories in the European Team Championship. With her victory, Lopez Ramirez also earned a start in next month’s AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath.
RESULTS
Matt Cooper