Normally anterior cruciate ligament injuries spell disaster for any athlete but for Annabel Wilson it’s proven to be a blessing in disguise during a brilliant comeback season which has seen her win for the first time in five years and earn her first Irish cap since 2021.
It’s just over a year to the day since Wilson underwent ACL surgery but she made a rapid return to the course five months later in Portugal with a renewed and refreshed attitude which has served her well this season with finishes of 8th, 3rd, 2nd and a win at the Ulster Strokeplay some of her highlights so far.
The Castlerock star also got back into a green jersey at the Octagonal and European Team Championships. She counts herself lucky to be a golfer which helped her make such a swift recovery over the winter.
“It’s been an interesting couple of years for me, I’m proud of the resilience I have shown after having a major injury,” said the former UCLA star.
“I came back home and took it in my stride and I have come out better for it and this season has been quite consistent for me. I’m hoping to continue that on into the latter part of the year but I am super happy with the season so far.
“I’ve come back very quickly. I played the Portuguese Amateur with my main goal being to play four rounds of golf healthy, never mind trying to shoot a score and I played really nicely which was five months after the surgery.
“Not many golfers go through that injury and my surgeon said after the surgery that I needed to trust what I was doing and listen to my body. If I was a soccer player it would be a different story! I would not be looking at the pitch five months later but I guess I’m lucky I am a golfer so it’s not as physical on the body but still it’s a great achievement.”
Wilson played on the Great Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup team in 2021 but played exclusively in America during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, reaching the semi-finals of the US Women’s Amateur in ’22.
Irish women’s amateur golf is in such a strong place with the likes of Lauren Walsh (now pro), Sara Byrne, Aine Donegan, Kate Lanigan and Beth Coulter all excelling that Wilson had become the forgotten woman. But she has returned to the course this year without the weight of expectation on her shoulders.
The only demand the 23-year-old has had on herself is to remain healthy and she has done more than that by winning the Ulster Strokeplay and Ulster O18 titles.
“Especially at the start of the season. The intent was shifted towards learning and seeing how the body feels which took a bit of pressure away from getting stuck in the moment with scores and all that,” explained the 2019 Irish Women’s Close winner.
“The injury helped me focus on the more important things and I’d say as the season has gone on it’s best to keep it that way because it works for me so I have enjoyed the season and having the injury has given me a wee bit of perspective and it’s helped a lot.
“I just want to keep getting better and improving every day in golf and other things. I’ve had a fantastic amateur career with a lot of great achievements and I have learned a lot and that’s just what I want to continue to do.”
A reward for Wilson’s grand return this year is a place in the KPMG Women’s Irish Open at Carton House in just under two weeks time and she is relishing her debut in the event having been a keen spectator as a child before the tournament was removed from the Ladies European Tour in 2012 after three years in Killeen Castle.
“I can’t wait, it’s the first time I have ever played in this tournament. It’s funny there was a gap where we didn’t have an Irish Open for women for a while there and I used to go and watch it as a kid so I have fond memories and I am looking forward to playing,” said Wilson.
“It was when I started to get into golf. I remember going when I was seven or eight in Killeen Castle. My dad took me and we had all sorts of weather there but it was good fun to be introduced to what golf could be like for me.
“I remember going to the Solheim Cup in Killeen Castle and then another Irish Open there so I have been there a few times. It was great exposure at such a young age and I got a lot of inspiration. I have such vivid memories even to this day.”
Wilson may not have had the opportunity to get up close and personal to her role models during her teenage years when she had really caught the golfing bug but she is aware of the position she is now in to provide inspiration for the young boys and girls who will be lining the fairways on the O’Meara Course.
Wilson is one of five Irish amateurs invited to play alongside recently turned professional Anna Foster of Elm Park and she believes there is a great opportunity to build a female golfing dynasty in Ireland.
“I hope so, I carry myself well and hopefully a few of the youngsters can look up to myself a few of the Irish players and take something from the week. That’s a good goal to have.
“It’s fantastic to have a bunch of female golfers coming through. The Europeans this year was an absolute treat. We have great golfers but even better people and we are all around the same generation, I’m maybe a couple of years older than this group but we will say no more about that!
“They are fantastic golfers and it’s exciting for Irish golf if you’re a female. If we had one who turned pro every few years from this generation there is going to be a bunch which is exciting.”
