Staffordshire player is new Senior Ladies British Open Amateur champion

Julie Brown survives early pressure to win

 by three strokes at Prestatyn

Julie Brown with the championship trophy. Picture by courtesy of the Ladies Golf Union.

By COLIN FARQUHARSON 
Staffordshire's Julie Brown kept her nerve with pars over the last five holes to win the Senior Ladies British Open Amateur Championship at Prestatyn Golf Club, Wales today.
Julie, a member of Trentham Golf Club, finished the 54-hole event with rounds of 72, 75 and 78 for a three-over par total of 225 over the par-74 course.
She won by three strokes from Irish senior ladies champion Gertie McMullen (The Island) who had scores of 75, 75 and 79 for 228.
Jane Rees, winner of the Welsh seniors' title this year, made ground on both the leaders with a closing 75 to finish third on 229.
Another Welsh player, Ann Lewis (Royal St David's), who won the Senior Ladies British Open in 2013 and who led after a first round 71 - the lowest score of the championship, finished fourth on 230.
Julie Brown was an England international before a professional career in which she played on the Ladies European Tour for seven years and won the German Open.
She returned to the amateur ranks in 2006 and has won the Staffordshire championship twice.
She won the English senior ladies' amateur title on her debut last year and was a membrer of England's winning teams and last year's European senior team championship and Senior Home Internationals, She also helped England win the European seniors' silver medal this year.
Her two-stroke overnight lead from Gertie McMullen was threatened when Julie had a double bogey 6 at the fifth and shed another shot at the next. Meanwhile McMullen had bogeyed the second but birdied the fourth and fifth.
But the Irish champion let the initiative pass back to Brown when she had a bogey at the sixth and a triple bogey 7 at the seventh. McMullen birdied the ninth, but, out in 39, she had gained only one shot on the leader.
Brown's only birdie came at the 12th but after bogeying the 13th, she reeled off a string of pars to consolidate her winning position.
McMullen, in contrast, bogeyed the 11th and 12th befor taking 5 at the short 13th. She did birdie the 15th but it was too little, too late as far as catching Brown was concerned.
Jane Rees had a good finish, birdieing the short 13th and long 18th for one-under-par 36 home and a 75, a score matched by Ann Lewis, despite bogeys at the 12th and 16th.
Defending champion Catherine Rawthore (Sale) finished tied 10th on 233, saving her best to last with a 75 in the third round.
Alongside Catherine was the leading Continental player, Maria De Orueta from Spain.
She shot three consistent scores of 78, 77 and 78.
Three Americans finished in the top 20 - Patricia Cornett (joint eighth on 232), Sally Kreuger (joint 15th on 234 and Sandra Jackson, who shared 18th place on 236.
Cornett had three birdies, at the first, ninth and 18th, but that was more than offset by six bogeys in halves of 39 and 38.
Kreuger had 12 pars either side of two birdies and four bogeys sandwiched between the sixth and 11th holes.
Scotland's only representative, Fiona De Vries (St Rule) finished joint 21st on 237 with scores of 80,76 and 81.

Age category and other prizewinners:

50 – 54 years             Laura Webb               East Berkshire

55 – 59 years             Caroline Berry          Bromborough

60 – 64 years             Susan Dye                   Delamere Forest

65+    years                Taffy Brower             USA

 

Best 18 holes              Ann Lewis 71