ENGLISH WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS REPORT

NEWS RELEASE FROM ENGLAND GOLF  Defending champions Lincolnshire today joined the hunt for 2012 honours in the England Golf women’s County Finals when they beat Lancashire 5-4 in a tense finish at East Devon Golf Club. In the day’s other matches, Surrey defeated Buckinghamshire 8-1 while Essex and Gloucestershire halved.  It means that after two day’s play Essex and Gloucestershire lead the way with 1½ points apiece. Lincolnshire, Lancashire and Surrey each have a point while Buckinghamshire have yet to score. Lincolnshire girls’ champion Emily Slater (Image © Leaderboard Photography) secured the point for her team when she birdied the last to win her game 2up. County captain Cindy Ireland commented: “She’s only 15 and there was a lot of pressure on her but she rose to the occasion and played the 18th brilliantly.” Lincolnshire, who lost their match on the opening day, edged to a narrow 2-1 lead after the morning foursomes. It was to prove a crucial advantage when the singles points were shared. “It was all very close, I have no nails left and I’m a lot greyer!” said Cindy. “I’m delighted for the team, they were disappointed yesterday but they picked themselves up and came back and did the business.” Gloucestershire captain Karen Rix described the tie between her team and Essex as: “A stunning, stunning match.” Her players fought back in the foursomes to share the morning points when, at one time, it looked as if they would lose all three. “It was the most amazing fightback and all credit to the girls.” As the afternoon unfolded, in ever-strengthening winds, the singles were also shared. Jo Hodge secured the point which guaranteed Gloucestershire at least a  half, while it fell to Essex 16-year-old, Paige Kemp, to avert defeat for her team. She held on to win her game against girl international Shelby Smart on the last hole and ensure the match was halved. “It was another nailbiting finish, but Paige got the point for the half,” said Essex captain Amanda Colegate-Herbert. “It was a good result at the end of the day and there was some outstanding golf out there in the wind.” Surrey pushed their way into the reckoning when they swept aside Buckinghamshire, losing just one foursomes game all day. “It’s absolutely wonderful, we are delighted,” said county captain Ann Gems. “We have a great bunch of youngsters, together with experienced players, and they came up trumps today in tricky conditions. There was some fine golf and the matches were very good, we had to fight all the way. “They’re all on a high now and looking forward to tomorrow,” added Ann. Tomorrow Gloucestershire will play Buckinghamshire, Surrey take on Lancashire and Lincolnshire play Essex. Results   Lincolnshire 5 Lancashire 4    Foursomes   Emilee Taylor & Sophie Beardsall beat Catherine Roberts & Bethany Garton 2/1 Emily Slater & Megan Illingworth lost to Elizabeth Stebbings & Sophie Powell 3/1 Helen Hewlett & Jess Wilcox beat Eloise Healey & Sophie Lamb 3/1   Singles Wilcox lost to Roberts 1 down Hewlett beat Powell 3/1 Taylor beat Gemma Marie Batty 4/3 Beardsall lost to Lamb 4/2 Lucy Atter lost to Garton 3/1 Slater beat Stebbings 2up Essex 4½ Gloucestershire 4½   Foursomes   Charlotte Thompson & Daisy Dyer halved with Jo Hodge & Bethan Popel Lizzie Taylor & Sophie Madden lost to Shelby Smart & Lucy Padley 1 down Gabriella Cowley & Ashleigh Greenham beat Alison Kelly & Alexandra Saunders 3/1   Singles Dulcie Sverdloff lost to Hannah Barwood 2/1 Greenham beat Padley 4/3 Cowley lost to Popel 1 down Paige Kemp beat Smart 1up Madden beat Jemima Gregson 5/4 Thompson lost to Hodge 2/1 Buckinghamshire 1 Surrey 8   Foursomes Julia Gallagher & Alice Kozlowski beat Inci Mehmet & Annabel Dimmock 1 up Susanna Mitterer & Luan Skeates lost to Tana Churchill & Louise Tarn 5/4 Karen Platt & Shamiso Hatchard lost to Lisa McGowan & Nicola Taylor 6/4   Singles Clara Leathers lost to Taylor 5/3 Denise Goodacre lost to Sammy Fuller 6/5 Mitterer lost to Katie Fewster 3/1 Hatchard lost to Churchill 2 down Kozlowski lost to Tarn 5/4 Gallagher lost to Mehmet 4/2 Lyndsey Hewison   Press Officer   England Golf   pr@englandgolf.org