ENGLISH CLOSED AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
NATASHA RETAINS LEAD
Cheshire’s Natasha Podmore has kept a firm grip on the English women's closed amateur stroke-play championship - with a two-shot lead at the halfway stage. The 17-year-old overnight leader added a three-over par 75 to her opening 70 to hold off the challenge of Ellie Givens (Blackwell Grange) and Laura Eastwood (Yelverton).
They head the top 36 players and ties who have qualified for the final day’s play in the 72-hole tournament. The cut fell at 156, twelve over par for the first two rounds.
Natasha, from Delamere Forest, is looking forward to tomorrow’s challenge.
“I just want to keep playing well and enjoy the day,” she said.
Like many players, she found today’s conditions tricky as the breeze got up and made clubbing difficult, particularly on the downwind holes.
However, it was the greens which caused her most problems.
“My long game was really good and I hit more fairways than yesterday but I struggled a bit on the greens. You think you’ve read them well but you don’t always see the break,” said Natasha, whose birdie putt on the 18th lipped out.
“But overall I did all right and I’m quite happy.”
Ellie Givens was one of only two players to break par – and her one-under 71 was the realisation of an ambition.
“I really wanted to shoot under par in a major competition and I am so chuffed that I’ve done it,” said the 16-year-old, who eagled the long 17th.
“I’ve done it on my home course quite a few times but it’s nice to do it in the English Ladies’ Strokeplay!"
It was also a landmark performance for Ellie after breaking her ankle earlier this year, when she was struck by a golf ball.
“It’s really nice to prove that I’m back,” she said. She shares second place on 147 with Laura Eastwood, 21, who shot 75 today and said: “I left quite a lot out there to be honest. I holed some really nice putts but I had some really sad three putts. It was fine, I’m quite happy with it, but it could have been a bit better.”
One shot behind them is defending champion Sian Reddick, 20, who had two birdies in her 76 – and a number of unlucky bounces.
Among the other players at the head of the tightly packed leaderboard is 15-year-old Rachel Connor (Manchester) who prompted a flurry of applause when she eagled the 18th. Her second shot to the green travelled 190 yards and came to rest 2ft from the cup.
Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall), 16, shrugged off her opening 81 and bettered it by 10 shots to return the joint low score of the day. She’s just back from Switzerland where she helped England win the gold medal in the European Girls' Team Championship - and she’s on a high.
“It was one of the best weeks I have ever had,” she said.
Cheshire’s Natasha Podmore has kept a firm grip on the English women's closed amateur stroke-play championship - with a two-shot lead at the halfway stage. The 17-year-old overnight leader added a three-over par 75 to her opening 70 to hold off the challenge of Ellie Givens (Blackwell Grange) and Laura Eastwood (Yelverton).
They head the top 36 players and ties who have qualified for the final day’s play in the 72-hole tournament. The cut fell at 156, twelve over par for the first two rounds.
Natasha, from Delamere Forest, is looking forward to tomorrow’s challenge.
“I just want to keep playing well and enjoy the day,” she said.
Like many players, she found today’s conditions tricky as the breeze got up and made clubbing difficult, particularly on the downwind holes.
However, it was the greens which caused her most problems.
“My long game was really good and I hit more fairways than yesterday but I struggled a bit on the greens. You think you’ve read them well but you don’t always see the break,” said Natasha, whose birdie putt on the 18th lipped out.
“But overall I did all right and I’m quite happy.”
Ellie Givens was one of only two players to break par – and her one-under 71 was the realisation of an ambition.
“I really wanted to shoot under par in a major competition and I am so chuffed that I’ve done it,” said the 16-year-old, who eagled the long 17th.
“I’ve done it on my home course quite a few times but it’s nice to do it in the English Ladies’ Strokeplay!"
It was also a landmark performance for Ellie after breaking her ankle earlier this year, when she was struck by a golf ball.
“It’s really nice to prove that I’m back,” she said. She shares second place on 147 with Laura Eastwood, 21, who shot 75 today and said: “I left quite a lot out there to be honest. I holed some really nice putts but I had some really sad three putts. It was fine, I’m quite happy with it, but it could have been a bit better.”
One shot behind them is defending champion Sian Reddick, 20, who had two birdies in her 76 – and a number of unlucky bounces.
Among the other players at the head of the tightly packed leaderboard is 15-year-old Rachel Connor (Manchester) who prompted a flurry of applause when she eagled the 18th. Her second shot to the green travelled 190 yards and came to rest 2ft from the cup.
Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall), 16, shrugged off her opening 81 and bettered it by 10 shots to return the joint low score of the day. She’s just back from Switzerland where she helped England win the gold medal in the European Girls' Team Championship - and she’s on a high.
“It was one of the best weeks I have ever had,” she said.
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 9:36:00 pm
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