Mannat Brar, a well known representative of Indian Golf Union’s national squads, became the first Indian woman to secure a semi finalist position in the R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship on August 16, 2024. Representing India and then acquiring the post of a semi finalist in the reputed R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship, is a moment of pride for Brar, who also happened to made an exit, unfortunately, today on August 18, after the semi final round with her opponent, Matylda Krawczynska, of Poland.

Brar’s historic entry to the semi finals was a result of her extraordinary performance at the Championship against Switzerland’s Sarah Uebelhart in the quarter finals. Trailing hard till the Round 8, Brar put up a tough competition against Uebelhart. She commenced with a bogey in the quarter finals and put up a phenomenal birdie to bridge the gap immediately in the second round.

Despite a slow and difficult start, Brar was able to put up some great shots till the semi finals of the tournament. Although she had lost in the first round of the match play in 2023, she qualified in the present year by finishing tied fourth, shooting an eagle at the course for 72. On her way to secure a position in the semi finals, she strengthened her skills by routing out strong and capable opponents, Matilde Santilli, Emily Peabody, and her sister Annabel Peabody in the Round of 32, Round of 16 and Round of 8 respectively.

However, the finale of the Championship ended on a different note. August 18 saw a thrilling match where a titter-totter face off took place. Ultimately, Mannat was defeated in the last four stage by her semi finale opponent, Matylda Krawczynska. Despite an opening bogey along with a rickety start by Krawczynska, managed a nervy double bogey. Though Brar was leading from the first and Krawczynska trailing was trailing very hard, the latter’s birdie in the sixth hole brought the scores at par, and since then, there was no going back. Krawczynska made a spectacular eagle and birdies at the eighth and the tenth and eleventh holes respectively. Despite an impressive bogey in the thirteenth hole, Mannat Brar lost the game, even though she put up a valiant show of her putting and chipping skills.

The other semi finale was contested between Havanna Torsetnsson of Sweden and Henriette spilling Gjelten of Norway, which came to a closure with the former qualifying as one of the finalist. Torsetnsson faced Krawczynska in the 95th finale, staged at Alwoodley, and secured triumph.

Despite Brar’s defeat in the semi finale, the outstanding spirit and the finest display of skills that she put up in the R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship for girls below the age of 18, stands out as an impeccable example of what determination and hard work can fetch. Brar believes that she has not lost, in fact, she has learnt so much that these lessons would help her tackle bad conditions in a more mature manner in the days to come.