Nerea Salaverría, an 18-year-old from San Sebastián, has established herself as a new promise of Spanish golf by winning the title of the Spanish International Amateur Women's Championship, Copa SM La Reina, after beating Sweden's Emma Nilsson by 1 up in the grand final, an exciting duel throughout its development held at Golf Platja de Pals (Girona), of similar importance and significance to the British Ladies Amateur.

Nerea Salaverría succeeds the Frenchwoman Lucie André in the list of winners of this competition and repeats the Spanish dominance established between 2003 and 2006, when Adriana Zwanck, Beatriz Recari and, twice consecutively, Carlota Ciganda inscribed their name as winners of this prestigious tournament.

With a track record worthy of praise for the solidity of their victories in the previous qualifiers, Nerea Salaverría and Emma Nilsson established from the first moment a duel characterized by the quality and spectacle of their actions.

The Spanish golfer (runner-up in the Spanish Junior Championships in 2004 and 2006, winner of the Biarritz Cup and runner-up in the Belgian Junior International in 2009) took the initiative on the first hole thanks to an accurate birdie, a prelude to a reaction by the Swedish player forged between holes 4 and 6, at which point Emma Nilsson took the lead in the partial scoreboard.

This supremacy, which in the end was the only time the Nordic player dominated Nerea Salaverría, gave way to a vibrant reaction from the San Sebastián native, who won the next two holes to once again dominate her rival.

Nerea Salaverría's timid lead was later extended on the 10th hole – taking advantage of a bogey by the Swede – and, more importantly, on the 13th hole thanks to a sensational birdie by the Spanish golfer.

With a 3-hole lead and only 5 holes to go, Nerea Salaverría was close to victory, a pleasant feeling that nevertheless turned into growing uncertainty when Emma Nilsson, in a new demonstration of grit, scored birdies on holes 14 and 16 that the Spaniard could not answer.

The advantage, limited to one hole on the 17th tee, proved sufficient, however, as Nerea Salaverría once again applied the composure and accuracy she had displayed throughout the week to maintain the difference in her favor until the end in two holes full of spectacle and excitement.

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Nerea Salaverría (Esp) beats Emma Nilsson (Swe) by 1up