Golf - Inverness Golf Club member wins by nine shots in Junior Tour Scotland competition at Tain and Royal Dornoch
INVERNESS golfer Summer Elliott was in dominant form as she won the first Junior Tour Scotland competition of the season.
The 18-year-old blew the rest of her competitors away as she claimed victory by nine shots at the tournament which was held at Tain and Royal Dornoch Golf Club.
The Inverness Golf Club and Nairn Golf Club member put in a superb performance to comfortably take the victory with rounds of 74, 76 and 75 for a gross score of 225.
She finished ahead of nearest challengers Carly McDonald of St Regulus Ladies and Gemma McMekin of Ireland who both finished on 234.
It is the third consecutive time Elliott has won the tournament, with previous victories at Golspie and Dornoch in 2022 and Brora and Dornoch in 2023.
Elliott was delighted with her performance during the competition.
She said: “I played quite steady in the first two rounds and didn’t make any huge mistakes or doubles. I managed to keep my golf steady.
“I wasn’t expecting to win by a large margin after the first two rounds as I only had a four shot lead.
“It was tight at one point but I managed to expand my lead in the final round.
“I have played at Tain a few years ago and it is not a course that I play on regularly.
“I have played Royal Dornoch a few times and it is my favourite golf course as it suits my game quite well.
“It is great for left handed golfers.”
Elliott plays off a handicap of +4 and has a current world amateur ranking of 1134.
She is recognised as one of the most promising young golfers in Scotland having won a number of major competitions during her career.
In 2023, she won the Scottish Order of Merit title
as she claimed a number victories in tournaments such as Stephen Gallacher Vase, the Paul Lawrie Junior Quaich and Barrie Douglas Scottish Junior Masters.
She was also named in Scottish girls' performance squad and has represented Scotland at a number of international tournaments.
At the AIG Women’s Open qualifiers at Delamere Forest Golf Club last August, Elliott was the top amateur player.
Elliott is now preparing to compete at the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open Championship which takes place at Royal Troon starting on Friday, April 18.
She says she is looking to put in a strong performance as she aspires to one day become a professional golf player.
She said: “I am looking forward to playing at Royal Troon. I have played at that event in the last two years and I know the course well.
“I feel like I am improving each year which is great and I am going to play as many good amateur events as I can and hopefully look to turn professional in a few years.”