Fairy-tale ending as Ponte sinks rival on 37th hole

Monday 1st June 2009, 2:29PM BST.

Aimee PonteTHE 2009 Island Women’s Championship final turned out to be the stuff of fantasy.

Aimee Ponte (pictured), who turned 13 years old a week ago and is the daughter of the Royal Guernsey Golf Club’s restaurant manager, beat multiple island champion Kay Mapley in a truly momentous final on Friday afternoon.

The match went to sudden death after Ponte sunk a remarkable 30ft putt on the 18th to level the match.

She then held her nerve on the 37th hole of the day and there were emotional scenes as she hugged her proud mother and father with tears in her eyes.

Only a handful of spectators watched the first hole of the second round. But by the end, the numbers had swelled to more than a hundred.

And they witnessed the extraordinary St Sampson’s High Year 8 student become, by some distance, the youngest ever island champion.

‘It’s amazing. I’m so shocked to win anything at all,’ she said walking back down the first fairway back towards the clubhouse to be awarded the coveted trophy.

‘I’m just so surprised and shocked about everything. I did not expect it. The pressure was starting to get to me and I was shaking on the 18th.’


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