France’s 21-year-old Virginia Tech student claimed the 123rd Women’s Amateur Championship title with a hard fought 3&1 victory over Spain’s Andrea Revuelta in a wind-lashed 36-hole final on the East Lothian links.

Valentine Delon became the first French player to win the Women’s Amateur Championship since Céline Boutier in 2015, holding her nerve through a final that ebbed and flowed across 35 holes before Revuelta conceded on the penultimate green.

The 21-year-old, ranked 66th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking when she arrived at Muirfield this week, was never behind in either of her last two matches — a statistic that belies how hard she had to fight. Delon had made a reconnaissance trip to the course two weeks earlier, and that preparation showed as she handled the gusting winds more convincingly than most in the field.

She joins a roll of honour that includes Leona Maguire, Georgia Hall and Anna Nordqvist — and victory earns her starts in four major championships. She will tee it up at the Amundi Evian Championship and the AIG Women’s Open this summer, and the Chevron Championship and the US Women’s Open presented by Ally in 2027.

By tradition, invitations to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the Standard Portland Classic on the LPGA Tour, and a Ladies’ European Tour event will also follow.

A final that refused to be settled

Delon took an early grip on the morning round, moving two up after just three holes, but Revuelta — ranked fourth in the world — is not the type to fold. The Stanford University player responded with back-to-back birdies and was level at the turn. On a tough back nine she again found herself two down before pulling one back at the 16th and halving the 17th with an inspired bunker shot.

Delon went to lunch two ahead, largely thanks to an outstanding chip from greenside rough at the 18th that sealed the hole after Revuelta missed a short putt for par.

The afternoon told a similar story. Delon won the 19th to go three up — and then watched that lead dissolve as Revuelta took three consecutive holes. As the wind strengthened, Delon rebuilt the advantage one more time, and this time she did not let it go. Three straight pars and a closing birdie on the 35th hole ended it.

“I tried not to leave space in the score,” Delon said afterwards. “Every time she was coming back, I was just trying to take the next hole.” The mental discipline she described was visible throughout — wherever Revuelta threatened, Delon found a response.

Back from surgery to the biggest stage

There is added context to Delon’s victory. She fought back from back surgery in 2019, and the significance of that was not lost on her. “Since I’m playing golf again, I just want to show everyone that even if something happens in your life, everything is possible,” she said after collecting the trophy.

The road to the final took her past Zoe Cusack, Samantha Olson, Meja Ortengren, Matilda Bjorkman and Savannah De Bock. Each of those victories was won on her own terms; she was never behind in any of her final three matches.

Revuelta was magnanimous in defeat. “She had no mistakes at the end,” the Spaniard said. “I thought I had her for just a second but she made eight-footer after eight-footer and kept going.” Having beaten American Farah O’Keefe in a tight semi-final the previous day, Revuelta can look back on a week that confirmed her place among the world’s best amateurs.

The 124th Women’s Amateur Championship will be held at Royal Cinque Ports in England from 21-26 June 2027. Coverage of this year’s final was broadcast by Sky Sports and streamed live on R&ATV and The R&A’s YouTube channel