It has been a summer of highlights for Charlotte Naughton.
courtesy European Golf Association
England’s Charlotte Naughton is enjoying a summer to remember.
In the last few months the teenager has signed for the University of Texas, won the Lawson Trophy (awarded to the leading under-18 golfer in the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews) for a third straight year, turned 18 and represented Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles.
Victory in last week’s European Ladies’ Amateur Championship confirmed her potential and came with the added prize of a start in this week’s AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Naughton grabbed control of the tournament with a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 in the third round at Allerum Golf in Sweden. It opened up a two-shot advantage over the field which was halved with a bogey on the opening hole of her final round, but she was rarely challenged thereafter.
“I didn’t have the best of starts today, I was definitely nervous, but I managed to stay calm and play some good golf and that was what my goal was today.”
Charlotte Naughton
She made the turn in level par and increased her lead to four shots by the 17th tee whereupon she made a double bogey. But a birdie at 18 clinched her triumph on 8-under-par 280, two shots clear of Sweden’s Meja Örtengren. Another Swede, Ebba Nordstedt, took the bronze medal on countback after tying France’s Sara Brentcheneff on 5-under.
“I put a lot of work into this event and played so well,” Naughton said. “I didn’t have the best of starts today, I was definitely nervous, but I managed to stay calm and play some good golf and that was what my goal was today.”
Naughton is amassing an impressive haul of results. Last year she won the World Junior Girls Championship in Canada and the German Girls Amateur, and was runner-up in the R&A Girls Amateur Championship. This January she won the Junior Orange Bowl by seven shots while setting a tournament record total of 10-under.
Naughton will now seek to emulate her fellow countrywomen Georgia Hall and Lottie Woad in winning the Smyth Salver, awarded to the low amateur in the AIG Women’s Open.
“I’m so excited,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity to play among some of the best golfers in the world. I’ll have fun and try my hardest.”
RESULTS
Matt Cooper
