EUROPEAN SENIOR WOMEN'S AMATEUR TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

The Flowers of Scotland. Pamela Williamson with the trophy and Janet Wake with the flowers. Team members, left to right, Moira Thomson, Lorna Bennett, Fiona de Vries, Mary Smith, Heaher Anderson and Anne Ryan. Image from championship website.

We are the champions!  Scotland's famous victory

over England wins gold medals

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Scotland have pulled off a famous victory in the final of the European Senior Women's amateur team championship at Sporting Club, Berlin.

They beat the favourites and top seeds England 3-2 to win the gold medals for the first time.

Qualifying sixth of eight for the match-play stages, Pamela Williamson's squad had scored good wins on their way to the final but England were the overwhelming favourites on paper.

When England took a 2-0 lead in the final, the writing looked to be on the wall for the Scots but they came back with a tremendous rally to tie it up at 2-2.
Then Tain's Anne Ryan, a debutante at this level of the representative golf, kept her nerve splendidly to achieve the title-gaining victory over Susan Dye in the last match to finish.
Anne, whose sister Mary Smith is also in the team, was two holes up at the turn against Susan Dye and not only maintained that advantage over the inward half, she added to it to win by 3 and 2.
Earlier English senior stroke-play champion Caroline Masson, four up at the turn, had beaten St Andrews-based Fiona de Vries (St Rule) by 5 and 4.
And England had gone 2-0 up when Rozalyn Adams, also four up at the turn, won by 5 and 4 against Heather Anderson from Alyth.
Then the Scotland glory run for gold started.
Mary Smith (Tain) and Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies) won the foursomes tie by 2 and 1 against Janet Melville and Felicity Christine after being all square at the turn.
Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) levelled it overall at 2-2 by beating Christine Quinn by one hole after leading by that margin at the turn.
Then came Anne Ryan's great effort. She and Mary deserve a ticker-tape welcome when they get back to Tain.
Switzerland beat Ireland 3 1/2-1 1 1/2 in the play-off for third place and the bronze medals.

Silver medals for England

FROM THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION WEBSITE
England had to settle for the silver medal after they lost 2-3 to Scotland in the final of the European senior women’s team championship at the Sporting Club, Berlin.
The match was extremely tight and England captain Sue Westall paid tribute to her players. “The whole team has played wonderful golf this week, but it was Scotland’s day today. It’s a fantastic achievement to win the silver medal and it’s an improvement on last year when we took the bronze.”
At the halfway stage of the final there was nothing to separate the two teams: each was up in two games and it was honours even in the fifth.

England were the first to put points on the board with fine foursomes wins from senior champion Caroline Marron and senior strokeplay champion Roz Adams.

But then the Scots struck back, first winning a close foursomes match. They claimed their second point when Lorna Bennett defeated Chris Quinn on the last hole after a low-scoring game. They secured the gold medal when Anne Ryan – who was up throughout the match - beat Sue Dye on the 16th.

In the play-off for third place, Switzerland beat Ireland 3½-1½ to win the bronze medal.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press and PR Officer
EWGA

RESULTS

FINAL

ENGLAND 2, SCOTLAND 3

Janet Melville (Sherwood Forest) and Felicity Christine (Banstead Downs) lost to Mary Smith (Tain) and Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies) 2 and 1.
Caroline Marron (Bromborough) bt Fiona de Vries (St Rule) 5 and 4.
Chris Quinn (Hockley) lost to Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) 1 hole.
Roz Adams (Addington Court Ladies) bt Heather Anderson (Alyth) 5 and 4.
Sue Dye (Delamere Forest) lost to Anne Ryan (Tain) 3 and 2.

THIRD PLACE PLAY-OFF

IRELAND 1 1/2, SWITZERLAND 3 1/2

Phil O'Gorman and Valerie Hassett lost to Irene Meier-Boehm and Anne Argi 4 and 3.
Sheena McElroy halved with Marie Christine de Werra.
Helen Jones bt Petra Muller Kronenberg 3 and 2.
Pat Doran lost to Carlotta Vannini 4 and 2.
Violet McBride lost to Mimmi Guglielmone 2 and 1.

OTHER RESULTS:
FRANCE 3 1/2, SWEDEN 1 1/2.
GERMANY 4, SPAIN 1.

 Full details: www.golf.de/esltc












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Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer