Just how strong was the field for the AIG Women’s Open that was recently played at Muirfield? One way to answer that question is to consider that Rosie Belsham — who failed to advance through final qualifying — shot a 6-under-par 66 from the white tees at Goswick Golf Links just the week before.
Belsham was invited to play Goswick by member Phil Swinney who is a friend of her father. They were joined by Finance Director Michael Long and Board member Sandra McGonigle (pictured with Belsham above). As you can see from her scorecard, she posted five birdies and an eagle (on the par-5 6th hole) against a lone bogey.
Though she fell short for the Women’s Open this time around, don’t be surprised if she breaks through within the next year or two. Belsham first began to make a name for herself in golf when she finished 2nd in the Scottish Girls U14 Open in 2015. Among her many accomplishments in the seven years are victories as a member of the England Girls Team as well as the England Ladies Team and numerous individual accolades, such as the then-youngest winner of the Northumberland County Championship, 2nd in the English Open and 3rd in the English Ladies Amateur.
Currently, Belsham is about to start her third year on a golf scholarship at Baylor University in Texas — a perennial power in U.S. university women’s golf.Odds are the best is yet to come for this exceptional talent.