German amateur Charlotte Back won her first international trophy at County Louth Golf Club, just ahead of Ireland's Beth Coulter

Charlotte Back, from Germany, won the Irish Women’s and Girls’ Amateur Open Championship at County Louth Golf Club on Sunday.

Back fired a final round 72 to finish 10-under-par for the event and three shots ahead of her nearest competitors Beth Coulter from Kirkistown Castle and Sweden’s Moa Svedenskiöld.

After signing her card, Back said:

“I’m super excited, it’s my first international win, I can’t describe how I’m feeling! My game has been good at the moment, really solid. The first nine today wasn’t that good but I fought on the back 9 and it paid off.”

At the turn, Finland’s Aada Rissenan had carded three birdies to extend her lead to three shots, but a costly double bogey on the par five 11th, with Coulter eagling the same hole, meant there was little between the players with a few holes remaining.

Staying patient and playing her game

Back played the front nine in level par before birdies on the 11th and 12th brought her into the lead. A final birdie on the par four 16th allowed her some breathing room for the final two holes.

The 17-year-old German added:

“I just stayed patient, played my game. I just wanted to make a lot of pars and some birdies came which was great. I felt a bit nervous on the 18th green, there was a crowd following but you get used to that I guess!”

Beth Coulter
Beth Coulter - image credit Golffile

A great season for Coulter

Leading Irish player was Beth Coulter who finished on 7-under-par with rounds of 70, 71 and 74, she said:

“I’m obviously quite disappointed not to win, especially after the eagle on 11 and then a silly mistake on 12 but I probably would have taken level par this morning, it was a lot windier and very tricky.”

Coulter has had a superb 2021 season rising to 137 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, winning the Irish Girls’ Close and finishing runner up at The Girls’ Amateur, but there is a clear take away from the season in order for her to build on that success.

Coulter, who is also 17-years-old, added:

“Minimising the damage is key. I had a load of birdies this week so I know I can do that but it’s about making sure I don’t make too many bogeys or double-bogeys. That will hopefully get me to the top in the next year or two.”

The German team of Back, Katharina Anglett and Emilie Kraus won the Nations Cup on 3-under-par, 2 shots ahead of the Ireland team of Coulter, Paula Grant and Katie Poots.

View the full results here