Jo Ashmore topples top seed Roz to

reach last four of English seniors

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Norfolk’s Jo Ashmore toppled top seed Rozalyn Adams to reach the semi-finals of the English senior women’s championship at Hunstanton today.
The Barnham Broom player won the first hole - and stayed ahead. By the turn she was one-under par and four up and she went on to win by 4 and 2.
“I am just so excited,” she said afterwards. “It was a really tough match – Roz is an excellent player, but I just went out and enjoyed it and played really steadily.”
Earlier in the day Jo Ashmore beat former champion Sue Ellis on the 18th green. Now, she meets senior international Chris Quinn who celebrated her birthday by winning a 21-hole marathon against defending champion Sue Dye.
Their match was a closely fought and compelling encounter, with never more than one hole between the two players. As they moved into the closing holes Sue appeared to take the advantage with birdies on 15 and 16 to go one up. But Chris squared matters on the 17th and they halved the last to go into extra time.
A superb up-and-down for par kept Chris in the match on the first extra hole and she finally clinched it with an fine long putt on the 21st.
“It was always going to be close and it was really great fun,” she said. Chris Quinn is a past winner of both this title and the British seniors’ championship.
Northumberland’s Lucy Newton continued her impressive debut performance in the championship with a 2 and 1 win over senior international Christine Stirling.
“I am so enjoying myself, I just don’t want it to end. It’s just so good to be the young kid on the block!” she laughed.
Their low-scoring and close match was described by spectators as worthy of a final. Lucy edged ahead after the 12th, won the 16th to go two up and claimed her semi-final place with a half on the 17th.
Lucy Newton willnext play Lincolnshire’s Denise Parker who came through another tight tussle, beating Cambridgeshire’s Paula Parker on the 18th.
Norfolk also has one representative in the Division B semi-finals, with county captain Nickie Clarke winning through to the final four.
Championship match-play results
First round
Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court) bt Janet Melville (Sherwood Forest) 1 hole.
Jo Ashmore (Barnham Broom) bt Sue Ellis (Ferndown) 1 hole.
Chris Quinn (Hockley) bt Barbara Laird (Sandiway) 4 and 3.
Sue Dye (Delamere Forest) bt Pat West (Spalding) 6 and 5.
Lucy Newton (Matfen Hall) bt Sheree Dove-Wilde (Chobham) 5 and 3.
Christine Stirling (Meon Valley) bt Anne Bridges (Mentmore) 2 and 1.
Paula Parker (Abbotsley) bt Christine Watson (Beaconsfield) 2 hole.
Denise Parker (Woodhall Spa) bt Pat Wrightson (Huddersfield) 4 and 3.
Quarter finals
Ashmore bt Adams 4 and 2.
Quinn bt Dye at 21st.
Newton bt Stirling 2 and 1.
D Parker bt P Parker 1 hole.
Semi-final draw
Ashmore v Quinn
Newton v D Parker
Division B match-play
First round
Marion Howells (Hankley Common) bt Sue Pidgeon (Wrekin) 4 and 2.
Nickie Clarke (Royal Norwich) bt Liz Moverley (Copt Heath) 5 and 3.
Pat Bennett (Reading) bt Cheryl Sanders (Hunstanton) 2 and 1.
Judy McCairns (Oxford Ladies) bt Lynn Griffiths (Reading) 5 and 4.
Julie Ballard (Littlestone) bt Dee Wood (Crane Valley) 3 and 2.
Caroline Caswell (Stoneham) bt Rosemary Farrow (St Neots) 1 hole.
Sheila McKinnon (Royal Liverpool) bt Chris Means (Woodhall Spa) 2 and 1.
Eppie Zandvoort (Eaton) bt Elaine Hancock (Spalding) 6 and 4.
Quarter finals
Clarke bt Howells 2 and 1.
McCairns bt Bennett at 19th.
Ballard bt Caswell 1 hole.
McKinnon bt Zandvoort 2 holes.
Semi-final draw
Clarke v McCairns
Ballard v McKinnon
Full details: www.englishwomensgolf.org