MAJOR winner Catriona Matthew has ranked receiving an OBE in the same bracket as winning the Solheim Cup and Women’s British Open.

The golfing star was one of more than 100 people honoured by the Princess Royal at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh last Wednesday.

Among those receiving awards, which had been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, were footballer Rose Reilly, who was capped for Scotland and Italy; Olivia Strong, founder of Run For Heroes, a campaign which raised millions for the NHS during lockdown; and Scott McPartlin, who camped on a beach on the island of Coll for three days to restore service to a vulnerable remote resident who had lost connection because of a lightning strike.

Catriona said: “There are so many other people getting other awards for all different fields, so for golf to be in there and recognised among that felt very special.”

The mum-of-two, who grew up and still lives in North Berwick, was thrilled to receive the accolade having been named in the 2020 New Year Honours List.

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She said: “I think receiving the OBE is right up there at the very top.

“To be recognised by the nation and by the Royal Family is a huge honour and it is great for golf.

“It gets the recognition, not just for me personally, but ladies’ golf gets a big boost.

“It is a big boost for North Berwick as well.”

The 52-year-old developed her love of the sport in her home town after playing on the children’s course when she was just five years old.

It was when she attended the University of Stirling and studied financial studies that she began focusing on the sport.

She would go on to win the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2009 and has finished in the top 10 at the competition on five further occasions.

In 2003, she won the Solheim Cup with Team Europe for the first time and would triumph again in 2011 and 2013.

In 2019 at Gleneagles, she was non-playing captain as Team Europe won the tournament for the first time since 2013.

Later that year, Catriona received confirmation she was to receive an OBE for services to sport.

Catriona, who returned to the captaincy role to help Team Europe retain the trophy last year, said: “I was absolutely delighted to be named in the 2020 New Year Honours.

“I got a letter through in the November of 2019, just not long after the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles.

“It came out of the blue and it is very exciting when you see it and open up the letter.

“It is always difficult not to tell anybody!”