KirkwoodGolf

Friday, May 14, 2010

It's Hayley Davis v Tara Watters for English championship

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Dorset’s Hayley Davis delighted local supporters when she reached the final of the English amateur championship at Broadstone, in her home county. She plays Tara Watters of Middlesex who is in the final for the second successive year.
This is Hayley’s first appearance in the championship but she was confident she could make a good showing.
“I’ve been playing well and I felt I could reach the final. Now I shall give it my best shot,” said the 17-year-old, who is an England girl international and the Dorset champion. She beat Gloucestershire’s Charlotte Ellis in a very tight match. Only one hole separated the two players for most of the round and the lead changed hands a number of times.
Hayley struck a crucial blow when she birdied the short 15th to go two up and after the next two holes were halved - in birdie, par – she was through to the final. “I look a little while to settle at the start of the match but I played well later on when I needed to,” she said.
Earlier in the day Hayley beat Lancashire’s Nikki Foster in the quarter-finals.
Tara Watters enjoys this championship but she had to pinch herself to believe she was in the final again.
“I can’t believe I’ve done it again, I thought the field was a lot stronger this year,” she said.
She claimed her place with a convincing 6 and 4 win over Curtis Cup selection Hannah Barwood. Tara was on sparkling form, winning the first three holes of the match and reaching the turn in three-under par. Steady play – and her excellent short game – brought her victory on the 14th. “The pressure was definitely off me,” said Tara. “I was the underdog while Hannah is the England international and Curtis Cup player. So I could just relax and try and play my normal game.
“But even when I had a good lead I had to keep focused. I won a match yesterday after being four down at one stage – so I knew Hannah could come back at me. I had to keep going. I do like this championship and this course is fantastic. It’s my kind of course.”
Earlier, in the quarter-finals, Tara beat England international Kelly Tidy of Lancashire. Meanwhile Charlotte Ellis defeated Curtis Cup selection Rachel Jennings, while Hannah Barwood beat Buckinghamshire’s Rachel Drummond.
Results
Quarter finals
Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) bt Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) 4 and 3.
Hayley Davis (Ferndown) bt Nikki Foster (Pleasington) 5 and 4.
Hannah Barwood (Knowle) bt Rachel Drummond (Beaconsfield) 1 hole.
Tara Watters (Muswell Hill) bt Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) 1 hole.
Semi-finals
Davis beat Ellis 2 and 1.
Watters beat Barwood 6 and 4.

Full details: www.englishwomensgolf.org

Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

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