TOP FIELD FOR ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP AT WEST SUSSEX

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
The country’s top women amateur golfers will head to West Sussex Golf Club next week for the English women’s amateur championship, from May 10 to 14.

The top quality field of almost 70 players – with handicaps as low as plus-three – includes internationals and Curtis Cup players. They are led by defending champion Hayley Davis, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, of Ferndown in Dorset, who is joined by Tara Watters (Muswell Hill), the runner-up for the past two years.
There is a strong local challenge from 11 Sussex players, including five members of the newly-named county first team. They are Emma Carberry and Chelsea Masters (Highwoods), Aileen Greenfield (Pyecombe), Stacey Rodger (West Hove) and Katherine Russell (Royal Ashdown Forest). Alice Barnes, one of three players from the host club, is a team reserve.
The other Sussex players are Clarissa Bushell and Daisy Kane, both from West Sussex, Hope Beland (Royal Eastbourne), Daisy Wakelin (East Brighton) and Belinda Whent (Highwoods).
Among the top championship contenders are Curtis Cup players Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), who has just been selected for the GB and I team for the Astor Trophy, and former champion Hannah Barwood (Knowle).
Those who are clearly on-form include England No 1, Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton), who has just won the Helen Holm Scottish strokeplay championship and her fellow international, Charley Hull (Woburn). The 15-year-old won the Welsh strokeplay title last weekend.

The teenagers are well represented with the field including English U15 champion Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak), English U13 champion Alice Hewson (Berkhamsted), and Amber Ratcliffe (Royal Cromer), who has just won the girls’ championship at the Fairhaven Trophies.

West Sussex last hosted this championship 10 years ago when it was won by Yorkshire’s Rebecca Hudson, who is now a successful Ladies European Tour player. For this event the ladies’ course has been lengthened by over 400 yards to 6007 yards. It will have a par of 72 and an SS of 75.

The championship begins on Tuesday, May 10. All competitors will play 36 holes of strokeplay qualifying, over two days. The top 32 players will go forward to the match-play stages, starting on Thursday, May 12. The final will take place on the morning of Saturday, May 14, Spectators are welcome.

Championship reports and hole-by-hole scoring: www.englishwomensgolf.org

EWGA Press and PR Officer
Tel. 01603 507 416
Email: lyndsey.hewison@ntlworld.com







Lyndsey Hewison