Yorkshire win County Finals with a day to spare

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Yorkshire won the English counties championship with a day to spare when they defeated Leicestershire & Rutland 6-3 at Long Ashton in Gloucestershire today.
It was their fourth victory from four matches played so far this week and they can’t be caught by any of the other five competing teams.
Their success also sets a new record because Yorkshire are the only team to win this title five years in a row. But records and the overall victory were far from the mind of Yorkshire training officer Joy Hunter as she watched the team play.
“We have never looked ahead at any stage of the week. Each day we have tried to get three wins in the foursomes and then tried to win the singles. We take it one step at a time.
“I am thrilled with the way the girls have played – but we want to win tomorrow as well. We will be going all out for our fifth win of the week.”
The Yorkshire players edged ahead of Leicestershire & Rutland with two wins from the tight foursomes matches. In the afternoon Nikki Dunn quickly scored the first singles point when she won her match on the 13th. Emma Brown soon secured another point and Ellie Robinson made certain of the win when she closed out her match 4 and 3.
Helen Searle boosted the scoreline further when she won on the 18th.
Leicestershire & Rutland were cheered by the performance of their 15-year-old champion, Jamie-Leigh Voss, who beat England international Naomi Edwards, and by Kym Larratt who defeated Sara Garbutt.
Tracy Bourne, the Leicestershire & Rutland captain, paid tribute to all her players. “They are absolutely fantastic. I don’t think anyone will ever beat us for team spirit. Now we’re going all out for second place.”
Her team are currently sharing second place with Hertfordshire, who defeated Dorset 6 ½- 2½ . Both counties have 2½ points from four matches.
Hertfordshire captain Jaki White is looking forward to the tussle for second place. “We’ve had a good week and all the girls have worked very hard. We will be going all out for a win tomorrow. We know we can do it and we are looking forward to the challenge.”
Meanwhile Warwickshire scored their second win of the week when they defeated Sussex 6½-2½ and are also in the hunt for runners-up honours.
County captain Bev Belcher , who has four 14-year-olds in her team, commented; “We began the week with matches against Hertfordshire and Yorkshire which was a difficult start for a young and inexperienced side. But we have now had two good days and got two points which we really deserve.”
Dorset have yet to score but captain Pip Duncan was delighted with the efforts of her young side which produced 2½ singles points in their match against Sussex.
Friday’s order of play:
Hertfordshire v Sussex
Warwickshire v Leicestershire & Rutland
Dorset v Yorkshire
THURSDAY'S RESULTS:
Yorkshire 6 Leicestershire 3
(Yorkshire names first)
Foursomes
Naomi Edwards & Emma Brown bt Kym Larratt & Helen Lowe 2 and 1.
Sara Garbutt & Helen Searle lost to Chloe Dexter & Jamie-Leigh Voss 1 hole.
Kim Crooks & Laura Harvey bt Tracy Bourne & Jo Morris 2 and 1.
Singles
Edwards lost to Voss 2 holes.
Brown bt Morris 4 and 2.
Garbutt lost to Larratt 2 and 1.
Searle bt Bourne 2 holes.
Ellie Robinson bt Dexter 4 and 3.
Nikki Dunn bt Lowe 6 and 5.
Sussex 2 ½ Warwickshire 6½
(Sussex names first)
Foursomes
Hannah Ralph & Karen Sykes bt Elizabeth Haycock & Rachel Rusted 7 and 6.
Jo Galway & Emma Fields lost to Lauren Taylor & Ashley Crammond 3 and 2.
Aileen Greenfield & Chloe Court lost to Lisa Barton & Abbey Gittings 7 and 6.
Singles
Ralph lost to Tracy Atkin 2 hole.
Clarissa Bushell lost to Abbey Gittings 1 hole.
Sykes lost to Taylor 7 and 6.
Katherine Russell bt Rusted 4 and 3.
Greenfield halved with McLoughlin.
Galway lost to Barton 2 and 1.
Hertfordshire 6½ Dorset 2
(Hertfordshire names first)
Foursomes
Alison Franklin & Harriet Key bt Hayley Davis & Marketa Mann 3 and 2.
Lucy Williams & Charlie Field bt Chantal Scott & Harriet Legg 4 and 3.
Charlie Douglass & Steph McEvoy bt Ilona Davidson & Melanie Buxton 5 and 4.
Singles
Williams lost to Davis 4 and 3.
Franklin lost to Melissa McMahon 2 and 1.
Key beat Mann 3 and 2.
Field beat Buxton 1 hole.
Lucy Glyn halved with Georgia Hall
Douglass beat Legg 3 and 2.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer