Dream debut for Melanie Green as she claims 121st Women's Amateur Championship

DREAM DEBUT: Melanie Green of USA poses with the trophy following her victory during the Final on day six of the Women's Amateur Championship at Portmarnock Golf Club. Pic: Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

American Melanie Green enjoyed a dream debut at the 121st Women's Amateur Championship after she claimed a two-hole win over Scotland's Lorna McClymont in an epic final at Portmarnock. 

The 22-year-old fight back from four down after eight holes to win the see-saw 36-hole contest in a rain-soaked affair.

McClymont had edged one ahead with three to play but Green showed resilience to bounce back and seal her win with a 22-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

Green becomes the first American since Kelli Keuhne in 1996 to win the prestigious title and secures places in the field for the Amundi Evian Championship and AIG Women's Open later this summer as well as the Chevron Championship and US Women's Open in 2025.

Ranked 53rd on the Women's World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and by tradition, Green will also receive an invitation to compete in next year's Augusta National Women's Amateur.

Green will also be invited to play in an event on the Ladies’ European Tour and joins a list of Women’s Amateur Champions that includes Babe Zaharias, Catriona Matthew, Carlota Ciganda, Anna Nordqvist, Georgia Hall, Céline Boutier and Leona Maguire.

In tough conditions McClymont settled quickly and got the early lead when Green bogeyed on the third. The American hit the rough on the fifth and was forced to concede the hole.

Green continued to struggle in the weather and was three down at the sixth following a first birdie in the final from McClymont. Green's bogey on the eighth saw her four down before she mounted a comeback.

A birdie on the ninth gave Green a pep in her step. McClymont bogeyed four holes in a row from the 11th and lost three of them as the final was suddenly all square after 14.

Green found the lead for the first time after McClymont found trouble at the 16 goinginto the lunchtime break.

Green moved two up after McClymont found the penalty area after her tee shote. They exchanged the next two holes before McClymont's bogey on the par-5 24th dropped her three down.

McCloymont rallied with a winning par on the short 25th and her second birdie of the day on the 28th clawed her back to one. Green missed a chance to extend her lead notably missing a short putt on the par-5 31st before the Scot pulled all square after a superb approach to five feet on the 32nd.

McClymont rolled in at the next from 15 feet for back-to-back birdies to go ahead only for Green to immediately reply with a birdie on the long 34th as the crowds were treated to a great finish. As the sun finally emerged, McClymont bogeyed the 35th before Green’s decisive birdie.

A world class field of 144 players competed over the famous links north of Dublin from the start of the week, representing 35 countries including no fewer than 21 players ranked inside the top-50 on the WAGR® and four in the top ten.

Green also added her name to a list of illustrious winners who have triumphed at Portmarnock in various championships, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Crenshaw, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and José María Olazábal.