World number three Farah O’Keefe needed a one-hole win over English teenager Lauren Crump to reach the last eight of the 123rd Women’s Amateur Championship, as the field was cut to eight on a blustery day on the East Lothian coast.

Farah O’Keefe is running on fumes — and still winning. The American, ranked third in the world amateur rankings, survived a gruelling Thursday at Muirfield to reach the quarter-finals of the Women’s Amateur Championship, beating 16-year-old Lauren Crump by one hole in the last 16 after an earlier four-hole playoff to see off Australia’s Kirra St-Laurent in the morning round.

It has been a relentless spell for O’Keefe, who won all five of her matches for the victorious USA in the Curtis Cup before arriving at Muirfield. Neither player led by more than a hole in the afternoon encounter, with Crump — who had come from behind to beat Australian Jazy Roberts at the 19th in the morning — pushing the University of Texas player all the way.

“I’m running on fumes,” O’Keefe admitted afterwards. “Walking four or five miles every day, sometimes twice in a day, wears you out a little bit. But this is what Tour players do — they push themselves.” She was generous in her assessment of her opponent: “Lauren’s going into her last year of high school. She’s a really good player and she’s going to have so much time to learn and get better.”

Crump, who won the ANNIKA Invitational Europe in Sweden by a record ten shots last week, was equally composed in defeat. “Although I didn’t win, I’m really proud of how I finished,” she said. “To take it to the 18th was pretty amazing.”

Comebacks of the day

The afternoon produced two remarkable reversals. Matilda Bjorkman had beaten Scotland’s Sheridan Clancy 3&1 in the morning but found herself four down after six holes against American Eva Pett. The Swede never held the lead until the 15th, eventually closing out a 2&1 win.

Belgium’s Savannah De Bock produced a similar recovery. After a hard-fought one-hole morning win over France’s Sara Brentcheneff, she fell four down after six against Arianna Lau. “I was so mad,” De Bock admitted.

“Unfortunately, that led to more bad shots. In the end I figured it was time to put my mind towards playing golf and stop being mad — so that’s what I did.” It worked: she came through 2&1.

French pair through together

Valentine Delon was among the day’s most consistent performers, making it through with a 3&2 win over Sweden’s Meja Ortengren after beating American Samantha Olson 2&1 in the morning. Birdies at the 8th, 10th and 12th proved decisive in the afternoon, with Delon describing a 5-wood into the wind at the 16th to 15 feet as her shot of the day.

Compatriot and room-mate Camille Min Gaultier joined her in the quarter-finals with a one-hole win over Canada’s Lauren Kim. “It’s nice to see two French players in the quarter-finals,” said Delon. “We want to see the French flag on top.”

Three English players fell in the last 16: Sophia Fullbrook lost by two holes to Spain’s Andrea Revuelta, Nellie Ong lost by one hole to Cayetena Fernandez, and Patience Rhodes was beaten 4&3 by American Morgan Ketchum.

Quarter-finals and semi-finals take place on Friday, with Saturday’s final rounding out the week.

Spectators can attend free of charge, and live streaming will be available via R&ATV and The R&A’s YouTube channel.

The champion earns entry to the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, the US Women’s Open, The Amundi Evian Championship, the Chevron Championship and, by tradition, an invitation to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.