Yorkshire and Leicestershire head
for showdown at County Finals
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Title-holders Yorkshire scored their third win of the week in the finals of the English counties championship at Long Ashton and now face a showdown against Leicestershire & Rutland.
The defending champions are top of the table – but just half a point ahead of their next opponents, who have established a reputation as gutsy players after twice staging comebacks to win matches.
“Tomorrow will be absolutely crucial,” said Leicestershire & Rutland captain Tracy Bourne. “Yorkshire are favourites – but we have nothing to lose.”
In today’s matches Yorkshire beat Hertfordshire 5½-3½ while Leicestershire & Rutland defeated Sussex by the same margin. Once again, Leicestershire & Rutland came from behind to take their point.
They trailed 2-1 after the foursomes but again showed their strength in the singles.
“It was very, very exciting and the team were just fantastic,” said Tracy. “I couldn’t ask for more.”
The Yorkshire-Hertfordshire match was evenly balanced in the morning after the teams shared the foursomes points. But in the afternoon, Yorkshire proved the stronger team, taking four of the six singles points.
Teenager Ellie Robinson wrapped up their score with a winning birdie on the 17th.
Yorkshire captain Winifred Varley remarked: “We have had an excellent day and the performance from all the players has been 100 per cent. All the matches were very good and the standard of golf was very high.”
However, the shot of the day belonged to Hertfordshire’s Alison Franklin who scored her first hole in one on the 146-yard 13th hole. “I jumped up and down and screamed!” said the former England international, who is returning to serious competitive golf after a break to have her two children.
Her ace took her to three up in her match against Nikki Dunn and she went on to win 4 and 3. Meanwhile Warwickshire defeated Dorset 5-4 to score their first win of the week.
After three days the team positions are:
Yorkshire 3 pts, Leicestershire & Rutland 2½, Hertfordshire 1½, Sussex 1, Warwickshire 1, Dorset 0.
MATCH DETAILS
Dorset 4 Warwickshire 5
(Dorset names first)
Foursomes
Marketa Mann & Ilona Davidson lost to Lauren Taylor & Ashley Cramond 2 holes.
Georgia Hall & Melissa McMahon bt Rachel Rusted & Elizabeth Haycock 1 hole.
Harriet Legg & Chantal Scott lost to Charlotte Dalton & Claire Howells 4 and 3.
Singles
Hayley Davis bt Abbey Gittings 2 and 1.
Mann lost to Dalton 2 holes.
Davidson lost to Cramond 3 and 2.
Scott lost to Hannah Mcloughlin 2 holes.
Hall bt Haycock 5 and 4.
McMahon bt Howells 5 and 3.
Yorkshire 5½, Hertfordshire 3½
(Yorkshire names first)
Foursomes
Kim Crooks & Laura Harvey lost to Lucy Williams & Charlie Douglass 4 and 3.
Sara Garbutt & Helen Searle halved with Alison Franklin & Harriet Key.
Naomi Edwards & Emma Brown bt Jackie Foster & Tina Jeary 3 and 2.
Singles
Edwards bt Williams 2 and 1.
Brown bt Douglass 2 and 1.
Searle lost to Key 2 and 1.
Garbutt bt Jeary 2 and 1.
Ellie Robinson bt Foster 3 and 1.
Nikki Dunn lost to Franklin 4 and 3.
Leicestershire & Rutland 5½, Sussex 3½
(Leicestershire & Rutland names first)
Foursomes
Kym Larratt & Helen Lowe lost to Hannah Ralph & Karen Sykes 1 hole.
Chloe Dexter & Jamie-Leigh Voss bt Jo Galway & Emma Field 4 and 3.
Tracy Bourne & Jo Morris lost to Aileen Greenfield & Chloe Court 3 and 1.
Voss bt Ralph 3 and 1.
Larratt bt Katherine Russell 3 and 2.
Morris bt Emma Field 3 and 1.
Dexter halved with Clarissa Bushell.
Bourne lost to Aileen Greenfield 4 and 3.
Lowe bt Court 1 hole.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer