Rebekah Gardner finished 2nd at the Justin Rose Junior Golf Championship at Quinta do Lago, Portugal as Sophia Fullbrook won by two strokes on two-under-par.
Gardner who recently turned 18 put on a back nine charge with five birdies in her last seven holes but it ultimately wasn’t enough as she came up a couple shy on level-par after a dramatic round of two-under 70.
Teeing off six shots off the pace after rounds of 76 and 70 it looked as if the Clandeboye starlet’s chances had come to an end after bogegys on the first, fifth and eleventh dropped her back to five-over-par despite the struggles of Fullbrook.
However, the Irish international who appeared in the KPMG Women’s Irish Open put on a fierce late spurt for the title with back to back birdies on 12 and 13 before three successive birdies from the 15th briefly drew her to within one of her playing partner.
Fullbrook signed for a two-over 74 but a birdie on her 17th hole gave her a two-shot cushion over Gardner heading up the 54th hole.
This is the second time the Melbourne golfer has got the better of Gardner, also pipping her to the English Girls title.
Gardner boasts a formidable record outside of Ireland – without winning. Finishing second at the English Girls, third at the Fairhaven and seventh at the Scottish Girls.
Woburn’s Roisin Scanlon was tied second with Gardner heading into the final round but she shot a four-over 76 to drift out to fifth on six-over.
Scoring HERE
Leave a comment