ENGLAND TEENAGE AMATEUR CHARLOTTE WEST PIPS CATHY PANTON-LEWIS TO WIN WPGA EVENT

FROM THE ENGLAND GOLF WEBSITE
England U16 squad player Charlotte West beat a professional field at Chestfield Golf Club, Kent, to win the latest event on the WPGA One Day Series.
The 16-year-old was the only amateur in the field and she shot level par 71, pipping Catherine Panton-Lewis of The Berkshire on countback to win the trophy.
Charlotte (image © Leaderboard Photography), from Harewood Downs in Buckinghamshire, said afterwards: “It’s a shock really, it hasn’t sunk in yet! I played steady, kept my head down and focussed on what I was doing.”
The WPGA has opened up entry to its popular One Day Series to U16 and U18 girls from England Golf’s regional squads to give them the chance to develop their skills in a tournament arena.
Rebecca Wood, the England Golf Women’s Performance Manager, said: “This is a fabulous result for Charlotte, the lone amateur in the field. England Golf are very proud of the players who are taking up these opportunities to test themselves against professionals and delighted about the results so far.”
Three squad players have already claimed runners-up places in the first two events of the series.
Bel Wardle, 14, from Prestbury, set an amateur course record and was second in the first event at Dunham Forest, Cheshire. 
Cloe Frankish, 15, from Chart Hills in Kent, and Aimee Wilson, 18, from Mickleover in Derbyshire, were in a three-way tie for second place at Little Aston.
Charlotte, a past Buckinghamshire champion who trains with England Golf’s Thames Valley Squad, had already played in one event before teeing up at Chestfield and, although she didn’t figure at Dunham Forest, it gave her the determination to do better. 
“I wanted to prove to myself that I could play well in competitions like this,” she said.
She set about doing just that at Chestfield with a round which included four birdies, balanced by four bogeys, and among the highlights was a chip-in for two on the short fourth. 
She reached the turn in level par and, although she dropped shots on 10 and 11, she got them back with birdies on 13 and 15. Her level par back nine gave her the edge in the countback for first place.
Charlotte, who is currently taking GCSEs, reckons her squad training has improved her golf: 
“It’s helped me to think about and understand my game and I know the areas to work on,” she said.
She’s also learned from playing alongside the WPGA professionals. “They manage to get themselves out of trouble and their course management is good,” she said
LEADING TOTALS
par 71
71 Cathy Panton-Lewis (The Berkshire) (£350), Charlotte West (am).
73 Keely Chiericato (Manston), Suzanne Wood (Thorpe Wood), Claire Duffy (Test Valley) (£175 each).
74 Susan Moon (USA) (£75)
75 Sara Alton (Chestfield) (£50).
77 Joanne Hodge (Hamptworth), Sarah Carty (K Club)
78 Joanne Taylor (Mike Yorke Golf Centre), Marie Allen (Motocaddy Ltd), Sarah Smith (Topgolf).

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COMMENTS FROM THE EDITOR:

1 Why don't the SLGA follow England Golf's lead and come to an arrangement with the Paul Lawrie Ladies Tartan Tour so that top teenage prospects in Scotland can learn from the lady pros by playing alongside them?
It seems to be working splendidly in England.

2 Why don't the WPGA members come up to play on the Paul Lawrie Tour - the prizemoney is a lot higher than on the WPGA circuit in England?
Is it all about time, distance and the travelling expenses involved in coming up from England?
They could make a few days' holiday trip North of the Border say for the July 25-26 event at Macdonald Cardrona, Peebles or the Tour Championship at Marriott Dalmahoy, Edinburgh on September 10-11.
Both tournaments are over 36 holes.
Give it a try, girls.
If young English amateurs, like Alice Hewson, can come all the way up to St Andrews from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, for the St Rule Trophy, surely you are ambitious enough to find out
how you would fare against the Scotland-based lady tour pros?