ENGLISH SENIOR WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CH/SHIP

Issued 17th June, 2014  Amanda leads with ‘neat and tidy’ golf Somerset’s Amanda Mayne produced “neat and tidy” golf to shoot level par and take the first round lead in the English senior women’s open stroke play championship at Knaresborough in Yorkshire. She had five birdies in her 75 and it gave her a two-shot lead over the rest of the field, but nine players are with four strokes of her. Closest behind is a group of four players on 77: Caroline Berry and Cath Rawthore, both from Cheshire, Norfolk’s Jo Ashmore and Dorset’s Tracy Bazell. Surrey’s Debbie Richards is a shot further back, while four more players scored 79: Berkshire’s Gabi Heuchel, Leicestershire’s Helen Lowe, Durham’s Ruth Lindley and Lulu Housman of Middlesex. Amanda has played for England seniors for the past two seasons, but she approached this event with a point to prove, having failed to qualify for the matchplay stages of the senior amateur championship in April. “That was very disappointing and I was determined to play better this week,” she said. She left the field in no doubt about her intentions, reaching the turn at two-under and getting to three-under after 10. She dropped three shots as she negotiated the tougher back nine but was happy with her solid play. “I was just neat and tidy all the way round and my wedges were always close. It’s a very pleasing start,” said Amanda,(Image © Leaderboard Photography) who was runner-up in the Somerset championship, losing to a birdie on the 19th hole of the final. Caroline Berry, who was playing in the first group out on the course, set the early scoring standard with her 77. She compiled her score with contrasting halves: four over on the front nine, two-under on the back. “I got the clubbing wrong on the front nine and it cost me some shots,” she said. “On the back nine I got it right and did a little better! I got nearer to the pin and got a couple of birdies - I was really pleased.” Next in was Cath Rawthore, who played steadily - with just one slice of luck. On the 15th she pulled her second into the trees, but it ricocheted out and she almost made a par four. “I consider myself lucky on that hole!” she said. “The rest was just steady golf. I played well after a bogey start and I really enjoyed it. The holes suit my eye and the greens are rolling nicely.” Norfolk’s Jo Ashmore demonstrated an impressive short game, notably on the back nine where she got up and down for par more than once. “The course is lovely, it’s very pretty, the greens are running smoothly and I was holing those putts which you need to do to make a score. But I had also had some lip outs.” She made short work of two par threes, with birdies on the third – from inside 3ft – and on the 11th from about 5ft. “It was a lovely way to start, I couldn’t ask for more,” said Jo. Dorset’s Tracy Bazell was notably steady throughout her round, dropping just two shots – on the 5th and 7th - and recording 16 pars. Tracy is playing her first season of senior golf and made an impressive debut at the amateur championship in April, where she reached the matchplay stages. Defending champion Sue Dye, from Cheshire, opened with a score of 83 and shares 29th place. She is in a group which also includes Staffordshire’s Julie Brown who won the senior amateur championship in April. After tomorrow’s second round the field will be cut to the leading 36 players and ties who will contest the final round on Thursday. Click here for full scores.   Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 07825 752 19307825 752 193

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