Anna Foster has an aptitude for juggling, it’s her party piece. On Thursday she managed to overcome gusts of over 35mph and some violent showers to dump out the world number nine Meja Ortengren in dramatic fashion on the 19th to reach the quarter finals of the Women’s Amateur Championship.
The back nine saw Foster come into her own in both of her matches on the day in Portmarnock but her up and down from over the back of the 19th green in front of a large crowd will live long in the memory as she took a huge scalp on a day where some favourites fell.
The championship looks wide open after world number one Lottie Woad was beaten by Denmark’s Marie Eline Madsen in the last-16 and Foster will be tough to stop after producing some of her best stuff down the stretch in her last-32 and 16 matches.
”It’s great I’m really happy with how I played the entire day. I really stuck in it and never gave up. Anything could happen out there today because conditions were so tough. It was really nice to get the up and down on 19 because conditions were so tough! I didn’t have it in me to go down the 20th!”
In her last-32 tie with Icelandic golfer Andrea Bergsdottir, Foster made clutch pars on 13 and 14 before wins on 15 and 16 took her 2UP as she closed out a 2&1 winner.
The Elm Park star faced a 20 minute turnaround between matches and was down all day against Swedish ace Ortengren before a birdie, par, birdie run in the gusts saw her go from 2DN through 11 to 1UP after 14.
A cruel slice of luck saw her lose her third shot into the par-5 16th in a gorse bush as she conceded the hole before a heroic up and down from Ortengren stole a win on 17 to get her nose in front.
Foster found the left rough on the last after Ortengren hit a fairway bunker and after watching her opponent bail out sideways, the Dubliner muscled an iron over the back of the green.
The 22 year old could only hack out in front of her from the long rough after Ortengren left her fourth to 15 feet.
The Swede missed and Foster managed to safely two putt and force extra holes.
Golf has a funny way of evening itself out and this time it was Ortengren’s turn to get tangled in the fescue. A semi shanked second stopped short of the OB stakes before Foster clipped a wedge just over the back.
With Ortengren safely on in three, Foster produced the chip of a lifetime, carrying it three quarters of the way to the hole and checking it up on a dime to three feet to a healthy roar.
A fine par attempt from Ortengren stayed out and Foster tapped home for a tremendous win, testament to the strength and character she showed all day.
The world number 108 just won’t go away. Buoyed by her Irish Women’s Amateur win last week she doesn’t know when she’s beaten.
”I wasn’t too worried when I was down I just stayed patient, a nice birdie on 12, great par on 13 and really nice birdie on 14 so that was great to get some momentum my way.
”The conditions were the toughest I’ve played in a long time I can’t remember anything like this. It was so important to be kind to yourself and not get angry or frustrated with shots you were hitting because it was just so tough.”
Foster has been roared on by the Elm Park supporters all week and she was delighted to have produced some special moments down the stretch.
”I was enjoying it I am trying to enjoy each match it’s great to be in Portmarnock and be at home so trying to not make it into a bigger deal than it is.
”They’ll be all out tomorrow for sure they’ve been so great with the support so far and I can’t thank them enough.”
Foster will have to overcome another Swedish test in the shape of Louise Rydqvist at 08:35 on Friday.
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