Amelia claims the first Gold Rose win

Amelia Williamson

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Issued 11 April, 2017
Amelia claims the first Gold Rose win

Girl international Amelia Williamson is the first winner of a new women's trophy given by England Golf ambassador and Olympic champion Justin Rose.

The Norfolk 16-year-old claimed the Gold Rose bowl by a single stroke with the best combined total from the Roehampton Gold Cup and the Hampshire Rose.

It's the first time the prestigious scratch events have been paired, creating a 72-hole tournament which attracts world ranking points.

Williamson, a member of the Englnd Golf girls' squad, was the leading amateur and overall runner-up at Roehampton and then tied seventh at North Hants to get her season off to a winning start.

She was three-over par for the 72 holes and one clear of Katherine O'Connor of Wales. Another England Golf girls' squad player, Hannah Screen (Berkhamsted), was third.

"The overall win was my target and it was nice after all the second places I had last season," said Williamson from Royal Cromer. They included being runner-up in the Fairhaven Trophies, the English U16 girls' championship and the North of England U16s.

The Gold Rose is part of a series of five newly-paired tournaments in England which qualify for world ranking points and increase competitive opportunities for women players.

Justin Rose's support has been welcomed by Rebecca Hembrough, the England Golf Women's Performance Manager, who said: "The combination of these events provides a fantastic platform for the players and we are delighted that Justin Rose has recognised the importance of helping the women's amateur game at the highest level with his kind donation."

The Roehampton Gold Cup was won by Ladies European Tour player Sophie Walker of Lincolnshire. The in-form Gemma Clews (Delamere Forest) won the Hampshire Rose by four shots from fellow international Sophie Lamb (Clitheroe), equalling the course record with her opening 67 and adding a second round 71 for an eight-under total.

The first combined event of the season was the Comboy Leveret, bringing together the Comboy Scratch Trophy at Delamare Forest and The Leveret at Formby Ladies. Another England girl international, Lily May Humphreys (Stoke-by-Nayland), was the overall winner, finishing runner-up in both events. The individual winners were respectively Gemma Clews and Curtis Cup player Rochelle Morris (Woodsome Hall).

The other three combined events are:

Critchley Astor – the Critchley Salver at Sunningdale, Surrey, on May 23; and the Astor Salver at The Berkshire on June 7.

Frilford Jackson – Frilford Heath Scratch, Frilford Heath, Oxfordshire on June 2; and Bridget Jackson Bowl, Handsworth, Warwickshire on July 4.

Birkdale Putter – Pleasington Putter, Pleasington, Lancashire on July 12; and Royal Birkdale Scratch, Royal Birkdale, Lancashire, on August 25.