ENGLISH WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
LAURA TOP SEED AT BURNHAM & BERROW
Devon’s Laura Eastwood is the leading qualifier for the match-play stages of the English women's amateur championship at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club in Somerset.
“It feels good. I’m very pleased with that,” said the 21-year-old from Yelverton, who returned a level par 72 in the second qualifying round.
Her two-round total of 145 put her a shot ahead of Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park), who was the only other player to match par on a day of strong winds.
Laura prepared for today’s challenge by practising her chipping for hours last night and this morning. “Yesterday I missed three greens with chips, which was just ridiculous, and I holed putts to save myself.
“I was very happy with my score yesterday but I knew it could have been better. I knew what I was doing wrong and the practice definitely paid off, although I also hit more greens and, again, I holed the putts.”
Laura describes Burnham and Berrow as the hardest links course she’s ever played but it was kind to her today.
“I had all the bounces going with me over the first few holes,” she remarked. She birdied three of the four par-5s, with the 13th helping to illustrate the strength of the wind, which was against on the inward holes. Here she had to punch a four-iron 143 yards to reach the green in three.
Her shot finished within 3ft of the hole and she rolled it in for a 4.
Other players who comfortably reached the match-play stages of the championship included defending champion Kerry Smith and overnight leader Kiran Matharu, who both had two-round totals of 147.
Henni Brockway, the 15-year-old Welsh open stroke-play champion, had a tough day, scoring 86 – but her 160 total took made it through with room to spare.
However, six players who all tied on 163 had to battle it out in a sudden death play-off for the last five places in the match-play draw. The outcome was disappointment for Burnham and Berrow’s ladies club champion Kate Charles, who bowed out with a triple bogey 7 on the first hole.
The five successful players were Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale), Julie Ross (Whitley Bay), Sarah Attwood (Gog Magog), Katrina Holford (Ingestre Park) and Cheryl Smith (The Oaks) – whose identical twin, Michelle, had already qualified.
Meanwhile, former champion Emma Duggleby, who shot scores of 77, 78 to qualify easily, has retired because of a wrist injury.
LEADING QUALIFIERS
145 Laura Eastwood (Yelverton) 73 72.
146 Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park) 74 72.
147 Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) 70 77, Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall) 69 78.
150 Naomi Edwards (Ganton) 74 76, Lee Corisande (West Lancs) 73 77.
151 Melissa Reid (Chevin) 76 75, Felicity Johnson (Harborne) 75 76.
154 Hannah Ralph (Goodwood) 78 76.
156 Rachel Bell (Ganton) 77 79.
157 Laura Collin(John O'Gaunt) 83 74, Sarah-Jane Eaves (Cosby) 75 82.
158 Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) 77 81, Lisa Ball (Matfen) 76 82, Hannah Grant (Enmore Park) 76 82.
159 Layla Ahmed (Waterlooville) 74 85.
160 Lea Occleshaw (Lansdown) 78 82.
161 Henni Brockway (Yeovil) 80 81, Karen Heywood (Crompton & Royton) 80 81, Claire Howells (Moor Hall) 79 82.
162 Joanne Hodge (Knowle) 82 80, Emma Sheffield (Newmark) 82 80, Caroline Marron (Brombrough) 82 80, Claire Starkie (Silsden) 81 81, Michelle Smith (The Oaks) 80 82, Claire Aitken (Mid-Kent) 75 87.
163 (AFTER PLAY-OFF) Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) 86 77, Julie Ross (Whitley Bay) 83 80, Sarah Attwood (Gog Magog) 82 81, Katrina Holford (Ingestre Park) 82 81, Kate Charles (Burnham & Berrow) 81 82.
NON-QUALIFIER
163 (AFTER PLAY-OFF) Cheryl Smith (The Oaks) 77 86.
Devon’s Laura Eastwood is the leading qualifier for the match-play stages of the English women's amateur championship at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club in Somerset.
“It feels good. I’m very pleased with that,” said the 21-year-old from Yelverton, who returned a level par 72 in the second qualifying round.
Her two-round total of 145 put her a shot ahead of Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park), who was the only other player to match par on a day of strong winds.
Laura prepared for today’s challenge by practising her chipping for hours last night and this morning. “Yesterday I missed three greens with chips, which was just ridiculous, and I holed putts to save myself.
“I was very happy with my score yesterday but I knew it could have been better. I knew what I was doing wrong and the practice definitely paid off, although I also hit more greens and, again, I holed the putts.”
Laura describes Burnham and Berrow as the hardest links course she’s ever played but it was kind to her today.
“I had all the bounces going with me over the first few holes,” she remarked. She birdied three of the four par-5s, with the 13th helping to illustrate the strength of the wind, which was against on the inward holes. Here she had to punch a four-iron 143 yards to reach the green in three.
Her shot finished within 3ft of the hole and she rolled it in for a 4.
Other players who comfortably reached the match-play stages of the championship included defending champion Kerry Smith and overnight leader Kiran Matharu, who both had two-round totals of 147.
Henni Brockway, the 15-year-old Welsh open stroke-play champion, had a tough day, scoring 86 – but her 160 total took made it through with room to spare.
However, six players who all tied on 163 had to battle it out in a sudden death play-off for the last five places in the match-play draw. The outcome was disappointment for Burnham and Berrow’s ladies club champion Kate Charles, who bowed out with a triple bogey 7 on the first hole.
The five successful players were Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale), Julie Ross (Whitley Bay), Sarah Attwood (Gog Magog), Katrina Holford (Ingestre Park) and Cheryl Smith (The Oaks) – whose identical twin, Michelle, had already qualified.
Meanwhile, former champion Emma Duggleby, who shot scores of 77, 78 to qualify easily, has retired because of a wrist injury.
LEADING QUALIFIERS
145 Laura Eastwood (Yelverton) 73 72.
146 Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park) 74 72.
147 Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) 70 77, Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall) 69 78.
150 Naomi Edwards (Ganton) 74 76, Lee Corisande (West Lancs) 73 77.
151 Melissa Reid (Chevin) 76 75, Felicity Johnson (Harborne) 75 76.
154 Hannah Ralph (Goodwood) 78 76.
156 Rachel Bell (Ganton) 77 79.
157 Laura Collin(John O'Gaunt) 83 74, Sarah-Jane Eaves (Cosby) 75 82.
158 Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) 77 81, Lisa Ball (Matfen) 76 82, Hannah Grant (Enmore Park) 76 82.
159 Layla Ahmed (Waterlooville) 74 85.
160 Lea Occleshaw (Lansdown) 78 82.
161 Henni Brockway (Yeovil) 80 81, Karen Heywood (Crompton & Royton) 80 81, Claire Howells (Moor Hall) 79 82.
162 Joanne Hodge (Knowle) 82 80, Emma Sheffield (Newmark) 82 80, Caroline Marron (Brombrough) 82 80, Claire Starkie (Silsden) 81 81, Michelle Smith (The Oaks) 80 82, Claire Aitken (Mid-Kent) 75 87.
163 (AFTER PLAY-OFF) Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) 86 77, Julie Ross (Whitley Bay) 83 80, Sarah Attwood (Gog Magog) 82 81, Katrina Holford (Ingestre Park) 82 81, Kate Charles (Burnham & Berrow) 81 82.
NON-QUALIFIER
163 (AFTER PLAY-OFF) Cheryl Smith (The Oaks) 77 86.
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 11:44:00 pm
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