Hertfordshire and Yorkshire win at

English County Finals


NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATIONHertfordshire and Yorkshire both came through tight matches to maintain their 100 per cent winning record at the finals of the English Counties’ Championship at Kedleston Park, Derbyshire. The championship is supported by Virgin Atlantic.
All the matches were very closely contested on the second day of County Finals. Hertfordshire beat Sussex 5-4, Yorkshire beat Lincolnshire by the same margin while Dorset and Northamptonshire halved.
The teams each represent one of the regions of the English Women’s Golf Association and are battling it out in the round robin competition for the title of England’s champion county.
After the second day's play, Hertfordshire and Yorkshire each have two points, Lincolnshire have one, Dorset and Northamptonshire each have a half, and Sussex have yet to score.
Hertfordshire laid the foundations of their win when they gained one, remarkable point from the morning foursomes. Lucy Williams and Charlotte Field were five down after five but managed to claw their way back to a last hole victory.
Team captain Jackie Foster said: “That was a real comeback!
“It was an extremely tight match and it’s always tough when you are 2-1 down at lunch, but the girls did really well in the singles. It’s tough out there, the conditions were tricky with wind and rain this morning and the clubbing can be difficult.”
The team won four of the six singles thanks to Harriet Key, Charlotte Field, international Charlie Douglass and, making certain of the victory, Steph McEvoy.
Yorkshire secured their point from another close encounter when Emma Brown won her match on the 18th. The former Curtis Cup player had been neck and neck with Sophie Beardsall for most of the back nine but crucially won the 16th to go one up before halving the last two holes.

Team captain Liz Haw remarked: “We knew it was going to be close and although we won the foursomes 2-1 Lincolnshire came back at us very fast and quickly took the first singles.”

However, Rebecca Wood held her nerve to win on the last having been three down to international Holly Clyburn. Sophie Godley secured another point with good play at the end of the order – and it all came down to Emma’s game.

“All credit to Lincolnshire, they really came back at us this afternoon,” said Liz. “I am immensely proud of my girls, they dug in and played really well.”

The young Dorset side, who were playing Northamptonshire, were determined to put their county on the leaderboard. The team, which includes English champion Hayley Davis and English U15 champion Georgia Hall, has an average age of 17.

Captain Liz Lloyd commented: “They were so disappointed to lose yesterday and they came out today with a lot of determination and with their spirit back.”

Dorset won the foursomes and fought hard in a series of tight singles matches for the necessary 2½ points for the half. The outcome of the match was decided by the final game on the course, between Dorset’s Hannah Bews and Northamptonshire’s Rachel Smith.

“We knew the result of their match would be the overall result,” said Liz. Hannah won the 17th to get back to all square and then halved the last.

Tomorrow’s draw:
Hertfordshire v Lincolnshire
Yorkshire v Dorset
Northamptonshire v Sussex

Results

Northamptonshire 4½ Dorset 4½
(Northamptonshire names first)
Foursomes
Sarah Carter and Mary MacLaren lost to Hayley Davis and Georgia Hall 5 and 4.
Megan Liddington and Rachel Smith lost to Kerry-Anne Haskell and Melissa McMahon 5 and 3.
Charley Hull and Rebecca Gee bt Hannah Bews and Sophie Keech 5 and 4.
Singles
Hull halved with McMahon
Meghan MacLaren halved with Hayley Davis
Roseann Youngman lost to Georgia Hall 3 and 2.
Gee beat Haskell 4 and 3.
Smith halved with Bews
Carter bt Keech 3 and 2.


Sussex 4 Hertfordshire 5
(Sussex names first)
Foursomes
Stacey Rodger and Emma Carberry lost to Lucy Williams and Charlotte Field 1 hole.
Katherine Russell and Chelsea Masters bt Alison Franklin and Harriet Key 2 and 1.
Aileen Greenfield and Karen Sykes bt Lucy Glyn and Steph McEvoy 2 and 1. 
Singles
Greenfield bt Williams 3 and 1.
Rodger lost to Key 3 and 1.
Masters lost to Field 3 and 2.
Chloe Court bt Glyn 2 and 1.
Sykes lost to McEvoy 4 and 3.
Paula Carver lost to Charlie Douglass 5 and 4.


Lincolnshire 4 Yorkshire 5
(Lincolnshire names first)
Foursomes
Helen Hewlett and Holly Clyburn lost to Emma Brown and Rebecca Wood 1 hole.
Jess Wilcox and Sophie Beardsall bt Sara Garbutt and Naomi Edwards 2 holes.
Emilee Taylor and Helen McDougall lost to Sophie Godley and Megan Garland 4 and 3.
Singles
Hewlett bt Sara Garbutt 8 and 7.
Clyburn lost to Wood 1 hole.
Wilcox bt Claire Smith 1 hole.
Beardsall lost to Brown 1 hole.
Taylor bt Ellie Robinson 6 and 4.
Megan Illingworth lost to Godley 4 and 3.

Lyndsey Hewison
Press and PR Officer
EGWA
Visit the EGWA website at www.englishwomensgolf.org