Rebekah Gardner was pleased with how she handled her composure as she eventually shook off the challenge of Sweden’s Josefin Widal to book her spot in the last-32 of the Women’s Amateur Championship in Nairn.
Gardner was up all day and seemed to have a comfortable 3UP lead coming down the stretch but Widal forced her all the way to the 18th as she held on for a 2UP win.
It’s Gardner’s best performance in a Women’s Amateur Championship in just her third appearance.
“It was tight coming down the stretch, but I got off to a nice start and got up a few holes and got kind of a lead going, and then she came back, which I expected her to do, so I just kind of had to dig in and stick to my game plan and stay present, and thankfully got it over the line,” said the Clandeboye woman who made her first appearance in 2021 in Kilmarnock before she had to withdraw from Hunstanton a year later due to Covid after one round.
“In match play anything can happen, so it’s just all about staying present and focusing on my game, and in big championships like this, anything can happen, so it’s just all in the last few holes.”
Gardner has been in good form this season, picking up three top-10s for Miami in her second year before carrying that form into the Irish championship season with a runner-up finish at the Ulster Strokeplay.
The sophomore feels playing on the US collegiate circuit has helped her prepare for big events.
“I had my college season and I played well there, so I’ve been playing solid. So yeah, just keeping that momentum going and taking it one round at a time.
“I’m in my second year. I just finished my second year, and the first year was difficult, but I learned so much from that and the experiences, and yeah, it’s definitely — I’m in a great environment with a great team to develop, so yeah.”
Gardner is one of two Irish hopefuls going into the knockout stages in Scotland. There hasn’t been an Irish winner of the Women’s Amateur Championship since Leona Maguire in 2017 while Maureen Madill won it in Nairn in 1979.
“Leona Maguire as well, a couple years ago. So yeah, just keeping the Irish going strong. Yeah, just trying to get as far as possible,” added Gardner.
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