Baillie’s title run was built round by round. He opened with a 2&1 win over Mandeep Singh in the Round of 32, then continued to grind through tight matches to reach the business end of the draw. By the time he arrived in Sunday’s final, he had already proven he could close. Across the bracket, 17-year-old Nate Johnson had surged through with wins of 4&3, 1 up and 5&3, setting up a clash between experience and fearless youth.

The final never settled. Johnson drove the short par-four 1st and made birdie to go 1 up, but Baillie answered on the 2nd. The morning swung on the par-five 12th when Baillie holed a chip to move two ahead. Johnson clawed back with a birdie on 16 to trail by two at halfway, and the afternoon turned into a proper scrap. Baillie won the first hole after lunch to go three clear, Johnson responded with an eagle at the par-five 4th (22nd hole of the match) to close to one, but a missed two-foot birdie chance halted his charge. Baillie steadied and finished the job 3&1 with a nervy par at the 17th.

Garner-Dart’s route was equally impressive. She advanced through her side of the women’s draw with composed wins, including a semifinal victory over Sophie Williams 4&3, to earn a final against top seed and 2024 champion Amanda Gan, who had come through her own tests — including a 19-hole battle earlier in the week.

In the final, Garner-Dart was never behind. She first led when Gan failed to save par at the 2nd, chipped in for birdie at the 11th and added a long putt in the afternoon to stretch her cushion. Gan, playing just her third event back after a six-month injury layoff, rallied late to get within two. But on the par-five 17th, Garner-Dart found fairway, green and par to seal a 2&1 win.

Two draws conquered. Two finals controlled. Two champions who held firm when the pressure rose.