Justin Rose: A thrilling Open season for our former finalists
Her three-shot victory on the Dundonald Links would have been impressive at any stage of her professional career, but to do it on her pro debut was simply sensational.
Woad, 21, was our runner-up in 2021 and she had incredible success as an amateur, including victory at Augusta National, and she's back in the spotlight in the AIG Women's Open this week.
It's been a fantastic summer of golf and The Open Championship always delivers. This year at Royal Portrush was no exception. While the Claret Jug went to the deserving Scottie Scheffler, the tournament was a showcase of golf at its best, and showed the importance of nurturing the next generation.
I finished tied for 16th which, while not the major victory I'm still always striving for, was a solid performance that I can be proud of. There were moments of brilliance, as well as a couple of wayward strikes that reminded me even the most experienced pros aren't immune to a bit of Royal Portrush mischief. But battling back from those moments, keeping my focus and digging deep – that's what this game is all about. It's a lesson I learned as a junior and one I hope every aspiring junior takes to heart.
Fellow former Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship winner Matt Fitzpatrick once again proved his class, finishing tied for fourth. His journey from a prodigious junior to a major champion is testament to dedication and talent, while another former junior finalist, Tommy Fleetwood, showed the consistency and fight that define his game as he finished tied with me in 16th. I'm looking forward to what he can do for the rest of the season.
But perhaps even more exciting was seeing Connor Graham and Cameron Adam make their Open debuts. Both were former finalists at our junior major and both show immense promise for the future. They may have missed the cut this year but their presence on that grand stage, absorbing the atmosphere and experiencing the pressure of a major, will be invaluable, and I know we will see a lot more of them in future.
This is why events like the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship are so vital. They offer a platform, a pathway and a proving ground for young golfers with big dreams.
So if you're a young golfer with aspirations of one day teeing it up at The Open, I urge you to get involved. The journey starts somewhere, and for many of today's stars, it began on junior circuits just like ours. The Claret Jug may be back in America, but the future of British golf, and indeed world golf, is being shaped right now, and the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship is proud to be a part of that.
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