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Hertfordshire’s Alice Hewson wins English U13 championship
29 July 2010
Hertfordshire’s Alice Hewson charged through the field to win the English girls’ U13 championship by three shots at Market Rasen, Lincolnshire.
“It’s amazing,” said the 12-year-old from Berkhamsted, who was five shots off the lead at the start of the final round. She scored one-over par 74 and overtook the five players ahead of her. “I thought I could do it and I just gave it what I could,” she added.
The final round began with two players, Samantha Fuller (Roehampton) and Sophie Madden (West Essex) holding a two shot lead over the rest of the field. By the time the field had passed the halfway stage the championship was wide open with just one shot separating four girls.
Samantha and Sophie, who were both five-over to the turn, held a narrow one-shot advantage over Alice and Fay Carpenter (Knighton Heath), who had both played the front nine in one-over par 38.
But on the homeward holes, it was Alice who forged ahead, starting with a birdie on the 10th. She weathered a wobbly patch on the 13th, where she went in a water hazard and took a double bogey six; and on the short 14th, where she dropped another shot. Her response was birdies on the 15th and 16th and two pars to finish with.
“I was a bit nervous on the back nine because I completely messed it up in the first two rounds. But somehow it worked today,” said Alice who recently finished third in both the national schools’ championship and the English U16 schools’ event.
Meanwhile the overnight leaders battled hard over the closing holes but neither could catch Alice. Samantha and Sophie returned identical scores all week of 77, 81, 82 but Sophie took second prize thanks to her last three holes, which included a birdie on the 17th. Fay also scored a final round 82 and finished in fourth place.
Alice is an accomplished swimmer as well as a golfer and was leaving Market Rasen for Sheffield to compete in a national backstroke championship on Saturday. She was a national silver medallist in the 100m backstroke last year.
“I want to be a golfer, but swimming helps my golf,” she said. “I’m quite a big hitter because I’ve got good shoulders and power and I can last 36 holes.”
Emily Lyle shoots low score of English U13 championship
28 July 2010
Nottinghamshire’s Emily Lyle shot the low score of the English U13 championship at Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, with a three-over par 76 in the second round.
The 13-year-old moved seven places up the leaderboard into third spot and, at the halfway stage of the championship, is just two shots behind the joint leaders. Samantha Fuller (Roehampton) and Sophie Madden (West Essex) have led throughout the event with identical scores of 77, 81.
But Emily (Rufford Park) heads a host of tightly bunched challengers. One shot behind her is Amelia Daniel (Royal North Devon) while another big mover, Emma Allen (Meon Valley) is a further stroke back. Emma scored a second round 78 to move from joint 10th place to fifth.
They’re closely followed by Fay Carpenter (Knighton Heath), Alice Hewson (Bekhamsted) and Ella Ofstedahl (Mill Green).
Another low scorer of the second round was Cheshire’s Rian Moores (Sandiway) who had four birdies in her four-over par 77. She currently shares ninth place with Annabel Bailey (Notts Ladies’).
The leading 18 players made the 36-hole cut, which fell at 176, and will play tomorrow’s final round of the 54-hole championship.
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Youngsters share lead in English U13 championship
Two youngsters, from Surrey and Essex, shared the first-round lead in the English girls’ U13 championship at Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, with scores of four-over par 77.
Samantha Fuller (Roehampton) was first out in the championship and set an unbeatable target when she birdied the short 18th. “I’m pleased,” said the 11-year-old who holds a seven handicap and is playing in this event for the first time.
Her score was matched by 13-year-old Sophie Madden (West Essex), who was level par to the turn but dropped shots on both the 17th and 18th.
“I was a bit disappointed with the end, but I was really pleased with the front nine. I played all right on the back nine, it was just a few putts,” said Sophie, who plays off four and is the lowest handicapper in the field. Earlier this season she set a seven-under par course record at Five Lakes in the Essex ladies’ championship.
A third girl also broke 80: Amelia Daniel (Royal North Devon) started with a birdie and came in with 79. Fay Carpenter (Knighton Heath) and Emma Higgins (Highcliffe Castle) is two shots behind her. Four players share sixth place on 83: Alice Hewson (Berkhamsted), who has been third in both the English schools and U16 schools championships; Victoria Mallett (Sutton Coldfield Ladies’) whose sister, Elizabeth, won last year’s English U15 title; Ella Ofstedahl (Mill Green) and Annabel Bailey (Notts Ladies).
The U13 championship is being contested by 40 girls, of whom the youngest is nine-year-old Georgia Oboh (Pinner Hill), who holds a 16 handicap. She played her first competition when she was six.
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