English Ladies Golf Association Press Release

CLAIRE AITKEN WINS

ENGLISH WOMEN'S

MID-AMATEUR FINAL

Claire Aitken won the ladies’ English women's open mid-amateur championship at Sherwood Forest Golf Club, Nottinghamshire, where she beat Jenny Pease of Essex 3 and 2 in a low-scoring final.

“This is so important to me,” said Claire, 21, from The London Club, Kent (pictured right).

“It’s always been my goal to win a national championship.”

Her success caps a fine season in which she has already won four prestigious scratch tournaments.

Claire claimed her English title despite lacking full confidence in her game. “I’ve been struggling and I had a lesson just before I came here which helped.

“I didn’t feel 100 per cent confident in my swing but I tried not to think about. I tried to grip it as I’ve been taught and hit it.”

Claire’s play looked extremely confident. She was three-under par at the end of the final in which birdies and an eagle were traded between the two players. Claire had four birdies on the outward half, on the fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth.

Jenny, the Essex champion from Braintree, had an eagle 3 on the fifth and birdied the eighth.
The players halved the first hole before Claire won the second to go ahead – and was never to fall behind. Over the front nine her lead fluctuated between one and two-up before Jenny – who demonstrated a sharp short game - pulled her back to all-square after the short 10th.

Claire’s response was to come straight back and win the next two holes. Jenny tussled with the rough on the 11th and bunkers on the 12th. They halved the next three holes, sharing the short 15th in birdie 2s.

The par-5 16th proved to be the decider: Jenny found two fairway bunkers before reaching the green in four shots, while Claire was on in a regulation three after playing a delicate pitch over a bunker. Jenny made a bold attempt for her par and then conceded Claire’s putt.

Claire, who took up golf about 10 years ago and now has a handicap of plus-two, is enjoying her best-ever season of golf. So far this year she has won the Hampshire Rose, the Roehampton Gold Cup, the Crichley Salver and the Frilford Heath Scratch Salver. Her next target is the British women's open amateur stroke-play championship which starts at Conwy, Wales, next Wednesday.