Germany’s Chiara Horder has won the 120th Women’s Amateur Championship after a convincing 7&6 win over America’s Annabelle Pancake in the 36-hole Final at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent.
The 20-year-old became the third player from Germany to lift The Women’s Amateur trophy in the last six years after Aline Krauter in 2020 and Leonie Harm in 2018.
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.
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, 3 and 5, to go three up and maintain the lead after eight holes. In the softer conditions after overnight rain, Pancake made a timely birdie at 9 to reduce the deficit.
Nevertheless, a double bogey at 10 from Pancake after a poor drive and a third birdie two of the morning from Horder on 11, following more accurate iron play, extended the lead to four holes. The American again claimed one back with a birdie at 12 before the highlight of the morning came at 13, when Horder holed a brilliant 40-yard chip to the delight of the large crowd.
Pancake once more replied with a birdie at 15, only for Horder to drive the green at 16, a par four, and restore a four-up lead. Pancake’s third birdie of the back nine gave her hope going into the afternoon action, but Horder was in command at three-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 second and again the short third for a five-hole lead before a number of troubles for Pancake which saw her make costly bogeys at 4 and 5. A seven-hole lead soon became eight after another bogey from the American at 7. Pancake’s first birdie of the afternoon at 8 reduced the deficit and another came at 11 to cut the lead to six, but another excellent iron shot from Horder at 12 sealed the victory.
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 celebrations for the Pancake family on their first-ever visit to the UK as Horder become the third player to win The Women’s Amateur at Prince’s.
Horder has secured places in Evian Championship and AIG Women’s Open later this summer and the Chevron Championship and US Women’s Open in 2024 by virtue of her win. The German national team player, ranked 273 on the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking, will also receive an invitation to compete in next year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship.
View the final scoring from The Women’s Amateur Championship here.
