Warwickshire Golf
COUNTY CHAMPION 2016 - Lisa BARTON
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PRIZE PRESENTATION
Lady Captain of Leamington & County, Rosie SKILBECK gave a belated welcome to the assembled company stating that the club had been delighted to host this important event and hoped that all the players had enjoyed the new layout of the course, which had only opened recently.
Both County President, Jane DENNICK and County Captain, Margaret SHEEPY are members at Leamington - you can imagine how delighted they were with the way things had turned out, especially the weather on the final day. Margaret thanked Leamington Golf Club for hosting the 2016 Championship and for getting the course ready after such a dreadful winter and with so many changes. She also thanked the Lady Captain for her help during the three days and especially the many ladies from the section who also had helped to make the event so successful.
After the speeches the County President Jane DENNICK presented all the prizes from Tuesday's Stroke play and then the Match Play held over the past two days.The following prizes were presented:
Longest Drive - Gemma BRADBURY (Coventry Hearsall GC)
Nearest Pin - Adelle MIDDLETON (Coventry GC)
Nearest Pin in Two - Helen DELLOW (Stoneleigh Deer Park)
Silver Medal Runner Up - Nett 73 - Hilary DIXON (Olton GC) - Pictured 3rd Row, 2nd Picture
Silver Medal Winner - Nett 70 - Rahela GORDON (Harborne GC) - Pictured 3rd Row, 1st Picture
Very Clayton Runner Up - Gross 159 - Gemma BRADBURY (Hearsall GC) - Pictured 2nd Row, 2nd Picture
Vera Clayton Winner - Gross 157 - Lisa BARTON - Pictured 2nd Row, 1st Picture
Senior County Champion - Gross 77 - Tract ATKIN (Leamington GC) - Pictured 1st row, 3rd Picture
Beaten Semi Finalists - Claire HOWELLS (Moor Hall GC) & Carol O'HARE (Shirley GC) - Pictured 3rd Row, 3rd Picture
County Champion Runner Up - Yenj PHAM (Shirley GC) - Pictured 1st Row, 2nd Picture
County Champion - Lisa BARTON (Coventry GC) - Pictured 1st Row, 1st Picture
THURSDAY 12th May - Day 3
Day 3 at Leamington & County Golf Club has the semi final and final scheduled, eventually crowning the lady Champion of Warwickshire.
9 a.m. was the start time for the first match which was between Lisa BARTON (Coventry GC) and Claire HOWELLS (Moor Hall GC). These two have played each other so many times in competitions that they knew each others games so well.
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Both had been playing some very good golf in the other rounds and had both been previous County Champions, Lisa in 2011 at Moor Hall GC and Claire in 2014 when it was held at Shirley GC.
They were well matched throughout but in Claire's view she made just a few too many errors to let Lisa get away from her, resulting in Lisa being 2 up at the turn. On the 10th Lisa had a Birdie 4 to go 3 up and after 14 holes was standing 4 up. On the 150 yard Par 3, 15th, Lisa faced a long putt for 2 whilst Claire was just off the green, but closer. Lisa putted first finishing by the pin for 3 and Claire then had to chip in for a 2 in order to continue the match. Surprise, surprise, she hit the pin but regrettably it did not drop and they halved the hole, resulting in the match being over with Lisa being the victor 4 and 3.
Lisa commented afterwards that the difference was in the putting as tee to green there had not been much in it at all.
Again in the second match, they two players knew each others games very well as they were both Shirley GC members and had obviously played with and against eachother many times - Yen PHAM and Carol O'HARE.
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Yen went quickly ahead and was 3 up after 3 holes, but then Carol pulled back with a Par on the 4th. From that moment on though, it was very well matched from tee to green with some excellent play but Carol could not buy a putt, a part of the game which is usually so good. The first half of the match came on the 9th but by that time Yen was 6 up and running. She went further ahead on the 10th with a Par 5 but then Carol, realising that this could be the end of the match, stepped up and sank a putt at last, for a Par 4. They halved the 12th in 5's but then Yen won the 13th which resulted in her winning the match 6 and 5.
All in all a very good match and as it often does, it all came down to putting which in this instance Yen came out on top as she put so much pressure on Carol, whose putting was not up to standard today.
And so to the Final when the eventual Champion will either be a second time winner or someone completely new.
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Lisa BARTON and Yen PHAM commenced their battle at 1.30 today in fantastic sunshine and warmth. The course looked superb after all the previous rain and then a day's sunshine and the greenkeepers had been busy mowing everywhere, obviously keeping out of the way of the players.
After good Pars both both players at the first and second holes, Lisa smoothly went 2 up after 4 holes. Yen won the next and then they halved the 6th hole. The next was won by Yen to go all square, quickly followed by Lisa having a Birdie on the 8th to go 1 up. With Yen getting into a little trouble off the tee, when they arrived at the green after excellent approach shots, they were lying Lisa 3 against Yen's 5 and again this holes went to Lisa. This had been a ding dong match thus far and we were looking for an even better performance on the back 9 - we were not disappointed.
With many of the players from the previous days of Match play following the Final round the course, the atmosphere was electric at times. The 10th went to Yen and again the 11th to Yen with a Par - match All Square. Yen was on a roll, winning the 12th with her two excellent shots just off the green and she now was 1 up again. 13th was halved and then on the Par 4 14th Lisa pulled back having only 2 putts to 3 from Yen. The Par 3 15th was really exciting for those watching as both players hit excellent tee shots on to the green followed by Yen sinking a long outt for a Birdie 2. Could Lisa do the same? - yes she could - Match All Square. This match could go the distance!!
Again on the 16th, Lisa was just that little more accurate with chip and putt, won the hole and was back to 1 up. Lisa's ball went off the green left whereas Yen was just in front of the green on 17th. Again Lisa's strength in chipping and putting won the day and she won the hole and thus the match 2 and 1. What a final, with some excellent play from both Lisa and Yen for the whole round, they kept the spectator's interest going throughout.
The 2016 Warwickshire Ladies Championship had been a great success and it was a delighted Lisa BARTON, the 2016 Champion who received the Trophy for the second time in 6 years.
WEDNESDAY 11th May - Day 2
The knockout stage commences today, Wednesday 11th May with 8 pairs doing battle this morning. Heavy overnight rain gave the Head Greenkeeper some concerns very early this morning, but eventually he decided that the course was playable - a good decision as the weather during the day although being very changeable has not been too bad.
Match 1 was Lisa BARTON (Coventry GC) v Jacki BELCHAMBERS (Stratford on Avon GC). Jacki who had never played in The Championship before, indeed not in any WLCGA competition, started extremely well managing to be all square after 4 holes. However, the very experienced Lisa BARTON soon raised her game and after the 9th hole was 3 up. A chip-in on 10th for Birdie, followed with a run of Pars, saw Lisa winning this match 6 and 4.
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| Lisa | Jacki |
Match 2 saw Sue WESTALL (Copt Heath GC) drawn against Liz GALLAND (Nuneaton GC). They knew each others games quite well having played the first 2 rounds together! Sue commented that she played much steadier than on Day 1, and starting with 5 Pars and going 3 up she was 2 up after 9 holes. Liz was never able to catch her, staring that her putting in particular had let her down whilst Sue's chipping was excellent. The result of this match was a win for Sue 4 and 3
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| Sue | Liz |
Match 3 had Adelle MIDDLETON (Coventry GC) playing against young Lauren BEAMAN (Moor Hall GC) with Lauren commenting that she had played better than on Day 1 and that she had really enjoyed her first attempt in the County Championship. They were neck and neck for the first few holes but after holing a long putt for Par on the 6th, Adelle said that this was the trigger to move up a gear and finished 4 up after 9 holes. Continuing in this vein, she finished the match on the 13th, winning 6 and 5.
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| Adelle | Lauren |
Match 4 Another Coventry GC player, Gill SAKER played against the experienced Claire HOWELLS (Moor Hall GC) who was a previous Champion in 2014. After rushing to the Tee, having been held up for a long time in traffic, Gill started Birdie, Birdie, then as she said later, reality set in and she played steadily until she went 1 up on the 9th. On the back 9 the match was very tight until Claire went 1 up on the 14th, the first time she had been ahead, but then went on to win 3 and 1.
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| Claire | Gill |
Match 5 had Gemma BRADBURY (Coventry Hearsall GC) playing against the one local player from Leamington & County GC, Gill THORPE. Gemma played some superb golf on the front 9, finishing 7 up after 9. It could have been 8 commented Gemma but I had to sink a long putt to halve the hole as Gill had chipped in! Difficult to come back against someone playing so well even though the golf from Gemma was not such a high standard and there were alot of halves on the Back 9. Final result was a win for Gemma 6 and 5.
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| Gemma | Gill |
Match 6 saw Yen PHAM (Shirley GC) against Julia BURTON (Moor Hall GC). After a slow start Yen was 2 down after 3 holes but recovered well to be 2 up after 9 holes. Many Pars later, Yen won the match on the 15th, 4 and 3. Putting was easier today, was the comment.
Match 7 had the in form Rahela GORDON (Harborne GC) playing Carol O'HARE (Shirley GC). this match was nip and tuck all round and could have gone any way. All square after 9 holes, Carol then went 2 up, quickly followed by losing 2 holes. Carol won the 16th and then succeeded in landing her ball 2 foot from the pin on 17th to win the match.
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| Carol | Rahela |
Match 8, the final match of the morning had Kelly KNIGHT (Stonebridge GC) playing Hilary DIXON (Olton GC). Good steady play from Kelly saw her 6 up after 9 holes, having Birdied the 2nd hole with a 20 ft putt. The match ended on the 14th, 6 and 4.
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| Kelly | Hilary |
Some excellent match play during the morning with the afternoon matches as below:
Lisa BARTON v Sue WESTALL
Adelle MIDDLETON v Claire HOWELLS
Gemma BRADBURY v Yen PHAM
Carol O'HARE v Kelly KNIGHT
Storms were forecast for sometime this afternoon, but thank goodness they did not arrive! In fact some players were in their shirt sleeves.
Two very experienced match players commenced proceedings at 1.30 p.m. After some very steady golf, Lisa went 3 up after 8 holes, losing the 9th after having to take a second tee shot. Sue lost a ball on 11th hole and then Lisa went further ahead having won 2 holes back to back and then birdied the 13th to go 5 up. With a half on the 14th, this was match over, Lisa winning 5 and 4. Both Lisa and Sue confirmed that the match was much closer than perhaps the result looked, but both thoroughly enjoyed the encounter.
Gemma and Yen contested the second match of the afternoon, with Gemma talking first joy on the second hole scoring a par 3. Quickly, Yen pulled back to All Square on 4th and winning the 5th went 1 up only to be reigned in on the 6th. Yen then had back to back birdies and with a win on the 9th, ended the first 9, 3 up. Continuing playing great golf, Yen eventually won the match 5 and 3.
The third match was between Claire HOWELLS and Adelle MIDDLETON and this was to prove a real ding dong match. Very steady play from them both on front 9 saw Adelle just edge in front to go 1 up. Claire fought back immediately, winning the 10th and after 12 was 1 up, but even winning the 15th, they stood on the 18th Tee with Claire just one in front. Halving the 18th meant that Claire was the victor and will thus go through to the semi final.
Carol O'HARE against Kelly KNIGHT was the final match of the day, which went all the way and more! After 9 holes Kelly had edged 1 ahead, but by the 13th Carol had upped her game and stood at 3 up. Kelly, not to outdone, had pulled back to All Square by the 18th Tee and having halved the 18th off they went down the 19th. A straight Tee shot from Carol landed in the fairway whereas Kelly's went left into the trees. She however hit a great shot out, landing to the right of the green whilst Carol had left her 2nd shot just off the front of the green. The referee was called and paced it out to see whose shot it was first - Kelly's. They both chipped on but Carol sank her putt and just won the match.
A great day's golf all round with some excellent play by all players.
Now for tomorrow: Lisa BARTON will play Claire HOWELLS and Carol O'HARE will play Yen PHAM, the matches commencing at 9 a.m. Why not come over to Leamington and watch the semis followed by the final which starts at 1.30 p.m.
To view the RESULTS for the Matchplay - CLICK HERE
TUESDAY 10th May - Day 1
Today, Tuesday 10th May saw the start of Warwickshire Ladies' County Championship which was held at Leamington & County Golf Club. The Tournament was played over 36 holes as a qualifying competition, with 18 holes played in the morning followed by a further 18 in the afternoon. At the end of play a seeded draw took place with the top 16 players having the best Gross score after two rounds, playing knockout rounds during Wednesday and Thursday, until the Champion for 2016 is found.
In addition, The Silver Division Medal is played for over 18 holes and is awarded to the best Nett score of the day. Competitors in this competition include all those playing in the first round of the Championship together with further entrants who only played the 18 holes. Best of the day for the Nett prize was Rahela GORDON from Harborne Golf Club, who scored a magnificent 70.
After a week of sunny and warm weather prior to the event, we were all hoping for this to continue today - how wrong could we be. For the first 18 holes it rained throughout with some ladies wishing that the next 18 holes would be cancelled!! Rain continued throughout the afternoon but there were some intermittent bright patches to fool them into thinking it was over. The Leamington course looked in splendid condition at the start of the day and held up extremely well under the conditions. The Greens were very true, if not a little tricky with the rain slowing them down somewhat.
The Leamington course was a very different one from what the players were used to, as a complete re-shaping had taken place over the past year. Indeed the new course layout in total had only opened on the previous Saturday. Comments from the competitors were very favourable on the new layout with most enjoying the completely new Par 3, finishing hole. Most spoke of the difficulty playing today, particularly if a shot went off line into the rough, which was quite long and thick and the scores in many cases indicated the problems they had. The CSS of the morning round was 76 on a Par of 73, so Rahela's score was really special, not to mention that her afternoon Nett score was 71 (CSS 75) Handicap reduction for her today then!!
As this was the first time that the new course layout had been played under Competition rules, new Course records kept coming in - first in was Gemma BRADBURY with Gross 79, quickly followed by Lisa BARTON with 78, but both were pipped by home player Tracy ATKIN who came in with a 77 which now stands.
All prizes for today's event will be presented on Thursday 12th May when the Champion will also be crowned.
To view the DRAW for the Matchplay, commencing Wednesday at 9 a.m. CLICK HERE
To view the FULL results of the Championship Qualifying Competition and Silver Division CLICK HERE
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