Chiara Horder has won the 120th Women’s Amateur Championship after a convincing 7&6 win over Annabelle Pancake in the 36-hole final at Prince’s.
The 20-year-old became the third player from Germany to lift the Women’s Amateur trophy in the past six years after Aline Krauter in 2020 and Leonie Harm in 2018.
Best of the Australians was South Australia’s Caitlin Peirce, who made the last 16 on her first trip to the UK.
Having led by three holes at the halfway stage, Horder surged to victory in the afternoon session thanks to consistent driving, precise iron play and an excellent short game which included four birdies on par 3s.
Horder has secured places in the field for the Amundi Evian Championship and AIG Women’s Open later this northern summer and the Chevron Championship and US Women’s Open in 2024 by virtue of her win. The German national team player, ranked 273rd on the women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), will also, by tradition, receive an invitation to compete in next year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship.
Horder, who knocked out the world’s leading women’s amateur golfer Ingrid Lindblad in the semi-finals, joins a championship roll of honour which includes Babe Zaharias, Catriona Matthew, Carlota Ciganda, Anna Nordqvist, Georgia Hall, Celine Boutier and Leona Maguire.
Pancake, 21, was bidding to be the first winner from the United States since Kelli Kuehne in 1996. The Clemson University student was cheered on by her dad, Tony, who arrived on Father’s Day to support his daughter after an overnight flight from Indiana helped by funds from members at Crooked Stick Golf Club.
However, there was to be no win for Pancake on her first-ever visit to the UK as Horder become the third player to win the Women’s Amateur at Prince’s. Joyce Wethered earned the first of her four victories in 1922 and American Carol Sorenson triumphed in 1964.
From a record 232 entries, Prince’s welcomed a world-class field of 144 players representing 36 countries, including 12 players ranked inside the top-50 on the WAGR, with Horder coming out on top after a wonderful week of golf on England’s Kent coast.
In the morning session, Horder made a fast start. After Pancake’s bogey at the first, Horder made birdies at the opening two par-3 holes, the third and fifth, to go 3 up and maintain the lead after eight holes. In the softer conditions after overnight rain, Pancake, placed 123rd on the WAGR, made a timely birdie at the ninth to reduce the deficit and receive a warm hug from her father who had just arrived after his travels.
Nevertheless, a double-bogey at the 10th from Pancake after a poor drive and a third birdie two of the morning from Horder on the 11th, after more accurate iron play, extended the lead to four holes. The American again claimed one back with a birdie at the long 12th before the highlight of the morning came at the 13th where Horder holed a brilliant 40-metre chip to the delight of the large crowd.
Pancake once more replied with a birdie at the 15th only for Horder to drive the green at the par-4 16th and restore a 4-up lead. Pancake’s third birdie of the back nine gave her hope going into the afternoon action, but Horder was in command at 3 up after playing 18 holes in four-under par.
In the afternoon, a combination of Horder’s excellent play and difficulties for Pancake saw the German claim the title.
Horder birdied the par-5 20th and again the short 21st for a five-hole lead before a number of troubles for Pancake which saw her make costly bogeys at the 22nd and 23rd. A seven-hole lead soon became eight after another bogey from the American at the 25th. Pancake’s first birdie of the afternoon at the 26th reduced the deficit and another came at the 29th to cut the lead to six holes, but another excellent iron shot from Horder at the par-5 30th sealed the victory.
Horder’s triumph adds to German amateur and professional success after Antonia Steiner won the Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship at Enville in April, while Sophia Popov won the AIG Women’s Open in 2020.
Prince’s played host to The Open in 1932, won by Gene Sarazen. The club also welcomed Final Qualifying for The Open from 2018 to 2022, while the course co-hosted the Amateur Championship in 2013 and 2017.
Portmarnock will host the 121st Women’s Amateur Championship from June 24-29, 2024.
