Hannah Darling joins Louise Duncan to take on US in Curtis Cup

Hannah Darling is part of the Great Britain & Ireland team for this week's Curtis Cup. (Photo by Naomi Baker/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

Midlothian golfer Hannah Darling will take on America’s finest this week when she lines up for Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup.

The 18-year-old Broomieknowe player is among two Scots – the other being last week’s Women’s Open sensation Louise Duncan – who will join four English and two players facing the US over three days at Conwy in Northy Wales.

The biennial competition – the female amateur equivalent of the Walker Cup – gets under way on Thursday, having originally been scheduled for last year only to be cancelled due to Covid.

Darling’s selection caps a summer which has seen her win the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews and, earlier this month, the R&A Girls Amateur Championship at Fulford.

“It’s a great honour,” said Darling, who played for Europe in the Junior Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in 2019. “It’s something I have worked towards and dreamed of for quite a long time.

“When you are a young player in Britain, it’s something you strive for and not many people get to achieve it.

“I think for me the Curtis Cup was a goal last year, but I don’t think I handled that very well. The first few events I played before Covid hit, I didn’t feel I played as well as I could have.

“So this is almost a second chance to prove myself. I’ve been sticking to my process and not get ahead of myself this year.

“I feel pretty happy with how I have performed and I think it has almost helped the team develop a bit more.”