The Pride of Wales. Senior women's home internationals champions at Little Aston (image courtesy of the Ladies Golf Union).

WALES SHOCK ENGLAND TO WIN

SENIOR WOMEN'S TITLE

Wales shocked hot favourites England - bidding to win the title for a sixth year in a row - by beating them 5-3 in the title decider on the last day of the senior women's home internationals at Little Aston Golf Club, near Birmingham.
Last month Wales won the women's home internationals at Wrexham. Now their over-50s have followed suit by breaking England's five-year grasp on the trophy. The senior women's home internationals started at Whittington Heath, near Birmingham in 2003 when England started their five-year monopoly of the championship. Wales are the first team other than England to be senior women's champions.
Scotland beat Ireland 5 1/2-2 1/2 to finish third.
Three players tied for the MVP individual title - Fiona De Vries (Scotland), pictured above, Ann Lewis (Wales) and Janet Collingham (England) each won 5pt.
Day 3 results:
WALES 5, ENGLAND 3
Foursomes: V Thomas & J O'Connor bt C Quinn & C Watson 3 and 2; J Rees & J Doleman bt J Collingham & B Laird 3 and 2; A Lewis & D Richards bt C Stirling & C Kirk 3 and 1 (3-0).
Singles: Thomas halved with S Dye, Rees halved with Cuinn, O'Connor lost to Collingham 3 and 2, Lewis bt Laird 4 and 3, Doleman lost to Stirling 2 and 1 (2-3).
SCOTLAND 5 1/2, IRELAND 2 1/2
Foursomes: L Bennett & F De Vries bt H Jones & S O'Brien-Kenney 3 and 2; M Smith & H Anderson halved with V Hassett & V McBride; J Harrison & F Hunter bt M McKenna & M Madden (2 1/2-1/2).
Singles: Bennett lost to O'Brien-Kenney 4 and 3, De Vries bt Jones 3 and 2; Smith bt Madden 5 and 4, Anderson bt Hassett 3 and 1, Harrison lost to McBride 2 and 1 (3-2).
HOW THEY FINISHED
1 Wales 3 wins, 2 England 2 wins, 3 Scotland 1 win, 4 Ireland 0 wins.

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION

England’s long reign as Seniors’ Home International champions ended when they were beaten 5-3 by Wales on the last day of the 2008 matches at Little Aston.

Wales took the title, with three wins from three matches, and added this victory to the one they scored last month in the ladies’ Home Internationals at Wrexham.

England have won the (over-50s) competition every year since it started in 2003. Team captain Cathy Bowerbank said: “It’s very sad, but it was Wales’s day. On the day they were better than us on the greens. “Everyone is disappointed. They all played their socks off but it wasn’t meant to be. We have such a good team, but it wasn’t their day.”

The writing was on the wall when England lost all three morning foursomes. They won the singles sessions 3-2 but fell just short of squaring the overall match – which would have given them the title on countback.

In the day’s other match Scotland beat Ireland 5½-2½.

Final results: 1 Wales, 2 England, 3 Scotland, 4 Ireland.