The Junior Open 2012 third place for Gabriella Cowley

England’s Gabriella Cowley finished a fine third in an international field at the weather-hit Junior Open at Fairhaven, in Lancashire.  

Pictured: Gabriella is pictured with defending Open champion Darren Clarke during the opening ceremony for the Junior Open. 

For the first time the biennial event, which accompanies The Open, was won by a girl, Asuka Kashiwabara from Japan. She set another record with her astonishing scoring of 16-under par which gave her a winning margin of 14 shots.  

Italy's Renato Paratore from Rome was third on two-under-par, followed by Gabriella on two-over par. A total of 68 nations contested the event for U16 boys and girls.

Gabriella, an England girl international from West Essex, showed great composure and impressive powers of recovery throughout the 54-hole event.  

Her first round of 74, compiled in the worst of the weather, and her second round of two-under 72, each included a triple bogey. On both occasions, she recovered in great style and was in second place at the start of the final round.

Early on, she had double bogeys at three holes in succession - the third, fourth and fifth – and reached the turn in six-over 42. But, she came back in two-under 36 with birdies at the 10th, 11th and 18th, set against a bogey at the 14th, for a round of four-over 78.

"I'm disappointed with my last round and those double bogeys, but I played better over the last nine holes," said Gabriella who is the English U15 and Scottish U16 open champion. "But, overall, I enjoyed the tournament very much. It was a great experience."

Gabriella will represent England in the girls’ Home Internationals in August.

Play in the Junior Open was suspended during the second round with competitors returning the following morning to complete their scores. This also meant that there was time only for the leading 33 players to contest the final 18 holes, instead of the leading 80 and ties.