Hanbury Manor’s Gabriella Cowley had to dig deep to claim her £5,000 winner’s cheque after winning the fifth Rose Ladies Series event at the JCB Golf & Country Club. Picture by LET

FORMER England international Gabriella Cowley, from Essex, dug in for the victory at the JCB Golf and Country Club, in Staffordshire.

Cowley’s round of 70 for a two-under par finish saw her enjoy a slender one shot winning margin over no fewer than six of her nearest rivals including LET stars Georgia Hall and Charley Hull.

Cowley has been in great form throughout the Series finishing third at the first event at Brokenhurst Manor.

And the 24-year-old has not finished outside the top-14 so far this summer.

A delighted Cowley, who survived a nervous finish after a stirring start, said: “This means a lot to me. I have worked extremely hard during lockdown.

“I changed my putter at the start of this week and was five-under-par through 15 holes and playing really well.

Gabriella added: “I did have a bad finish, but it does not matter now.

“I played really well, and a key highlight was making three consecutive birdies to start the back nine.

“The course was playing long and it is a tough test. But the condition of it was unbelievable and it was a really good set-up.”

Cowley, who won the £5,000 winners cheque, added: “The support from Justin and Kate Rose – and the sponsors putting these events on – means a lot to all of us. And it is great to now be a winner of one.

“Every event has been superb and its nice to be playing tournaments.

“These events and the win will give me a big confidence boost heading back into the restart of the Ladies European Tour season.”

Cowley holds off chasing pack

COWLEY, who is attached to Hertfordshire’s Hanbury Manor GC, finished ahead of a group of players tied for second position on one-under.

That pack included Solheim Cup stars Charley Hull, from Woburn, and Dorset’s Georgia Hall, plus last year’s Jabra Ladies Open champion Annabel Dimmock, from Wentworth, Scotland’s Heather MacRae, Aussie Whitney Hillier and Wales’ Chloe Williams.

Gabriella Cowley claimed her maiden professional win with victory in the Rose Ladies Series event

Cowley, who hails from Harlow, came up via Essex Ladies’ junior ranks. She turned pro in 2014 and has made 47 starts on the LET since her rookie year in 2016.

She produced two top 10s in 2019, her best results to date, having started on the LET Access Series in 2015 – just six years after taking up the game.

Hull announced that she will now not travel to play in the States when the LPGA resumes later this month.

Instead the Woburn G&CC ace will continue to play the remaining Rose Ladies Series events in the build-up to August’s AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Troon, with the LET’s Scottish Open, a week before at The Renaissance GC, in North Berwick.

Hull was originally planning to fly to the USA this week to meet the two-week quarantine required before playing in the Drive On Championship, in Toledo, on July 31.

The LPGA winner was then set to play in the Marathon Classic, also in Ohio.

But after winning the first Rose Ladies Series event at Brokenhurst Manor last month – followed by top sixes in the next three events – the 24-year-old from Kettering is targetting the American Golf Order of Merit.

Gemma Dryburgh – who won the last two events, including at Royal St George’s – has now flown back to America to rejoin the LPGA.

Paul McDonnell, Rose’s agent at Excel Sports who are running the series, said: “I’ve spoken to Justin and Kate and they are thrilled that Charley is to carry on playing.

“To have someone of Charley’s status is, of course, a big boost. We completely understand why Gemma felt she needed to be back on the LPGA Tour to fight for her playing status, and we wish her all the best.

“The series is going from strength to strength and is sure to get even more exciting.”

Worcestershire’s talented US college golfer Emily Price finished 15th in her first Rose Series event before she returns for her third year in the States, playing for Kent State University. Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY.

Price made flying start at JCB

ONCE again there was another fine showing from the lone amateur in the field – Emily Price, the 2016 English Women’s Strokeplay champion.

Emily Price can take some pride from her round of 74 which saw the Kent State University student finish in 15th place.

The Ludlow Golf Club member got off to a flying start with a birdie at the opening hole in the fifth event in the Rose Ladies Series.

Bogeys at the fifth and eighth halted her charge, but another birdie at the par three, ninth hole allowed her to reach the turn in a level par total of 36.

A tough back nine for Price started with two bogeys at 10 and 11.

However, another birdie at the 12th, a run of five pars and a dropped shot at the last allowed her to sign for a score of two-over par.

Price, who started life as a member at Cleobury Mortimer GC, also claimed the Scottish Girls Open title and the English Girls Order of Merit in 2016.

She transferred from University of South Carolina in March to join Ohio’s KSU for her third and junior year in the NCAA.

•For full scores from the JCB club click here.

Berkshire’s Bearwood Lakes is one of the most highly-rated courses in the South

Two more before Grand Final at Wentworth

THE Rose Ladies Series features eight tournaments, culminating in the three-day Computacenter Grand Final.

It will be held across three courses, North Hants, The Berkshire and Wentworth’s West Course, from August 5-8.

There is a £35,000 prize fund for the Order of Merit, sponsored by American Golf with £20,000 for first, £10,000 for second and £5,000 for third place.

Next week, Gabriella Cowley and the rest of the ladies roll on to week six with an event at Bearwood Lakes GC, in Berkshire before the penultimate event at The Shire London, a week later.

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Worcestershire’s Emily Price is the one amateur in the field for the fifth Rose Ladies Series at Uttoxeter’s JCB Golf & Country Club. Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

WORCESTERSHIRE’S Emily Price will fly the flag for the amateur game in the fifth event of the Rose Ladies Series today (Thursday).

The former England Girls’ international is the only non-professional in the field for the event staged at the JCB Golf & Country Club, in Staffordshire.

The Kent State University student will line up alongside stars of the women’s game including Charley Hull, Meghan MacLaren and back-to-back series winner Gemma Dryburgh.

Price goes into the event in a rich vein of form. Earlier this month, the 20-year-old broke the course record at Ludlow Golf Club with a five-under par 66.

The Ludlow GC member has progressed quickly up the amateur rankings and currently stands at No. 105 in the world.

On completing her studies in 2022, Price has targeted a move into professional golf – with the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School and a life on Tour her ultimate aim.

Price became the second youngest winner of the English Women’s Strokeplay title when – at the age of 16 – she won the title at Bristol and Clifton Golf Club, in 2016, and adding the English Girls Order of Merit later that year.

Since then, the 2016 Scottish Girls Open Champion has spent two years at the Universty of South Carolina before transferring to Ohio’s Kent State for her final two years playing in the NCAA.

Emily Price signed to play for Kent State University as a junior (third year) in 2020/21

Will the Price be right for Emily?

PRICE will be hoping to keep up the fine record of amateurs competing in this summer’s Rose Ladies Series events.

In the four previous tournaments, at least one amateur has claimed a top-10 finish.

The Rose Ladies Series was the brainchild of England Golf ambassador Justin Rose and his wife Kate, who were keen to support golf’s restart after the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The former US Open winner and current Olympic champion has sponsored a series of seven events – leading up to next month’s Grand Final, which will be played over three days, from August 5-7.

The top 51 players will play 18 holes each at Fleet’s North Hants – Justin’s home club – and The Berkshire, at Ascot.

The top 35 will then play the final round at Wentworth, when the famous West Course hosts a women’s professional event for the first time. The winner of the Order of Merit will pocket another £35,000, from sponsor American Golf.

For scoring updates from JCB G&CC, click here, or follow the England Golf Twitter feed. Sky Sports Golf will also carry reports and highlights.

Liz Young who organised the Brokenhurst Women’s Open – the first event of the new Rose Ladies Series, which now has seven tournaments and a final. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

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Gemma Dryburgh became a Rose winner for the second time when the Ladies Series became the first ever women’s pro event to be held at Royal St George’s. Picture by LET

SCOTLAND’S Gemma Dryburgh won for a second consecutive week on the Rose Ladies Series after posting a brilliant one-under par 69 at Royal St George’s in Kent.

The famous Sandwich course was due to host the Open Championship next week before the postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the cancellation did allow Royal St George’s which has hosted the Open 14 times the chance to host its first professional women’s event.

Following her triumph at The Buckinghamshire last week, the 27-year-old Scot finished one stroke ahead of English Solheim Cup stars Georgia Hall and Charley Hull, who won the first event at Brokenhurst Manor.

Surrey’s 2019 Jabra Ladies Open champion Annabel Dimmock, from Wentworth, tied for fourth with reigning Women’s Amateur Champion Emily Toy, from Cornwall. Northamptonshire’s Meghan MacLaren, who won the second leg at Moor Park, tied for 22^nd.

Dryburgh, who now leads the Rose Ladies Series’ American Golf Order of Merit, said: “I’m delighted to be the first-ever female professional to win a tournament at Royal St George’s in their first-ever ladies’ professional event.

“It’s just so special to be the winner at a great and prestigious course, which was in immaculate condition.”

Dryburgh, who sits in fifth position on the LET’s 2020 Race to Costa del Sol Rankings, bogeyed the par-four first hole on the famous links and then picked up her first birdie on the par-five seventh to go out in a level-par 35.

A pair of birdies on the 10^th and 13^th followed by a bogey on the par-four 15^th saw her come home in 34 to set the target.

“Winds were blowing 20-30 miles per hour, so it was tough and I hit my woods well. I used them a lot coming in,” said Dryburgh.

“A great par putt from 18 feet on 16 helped to secure the win and then on the last two holes I hit 3-woods into the par fours and holed good putts.

“It was great playing with Georgia and Charley and we were neck and neck all day and feeding off each other, so it certainly felt like a big event and it was very special.”

•For final scores from Rose Ladies Series click here.

Sandwich the perfect preparation for Women’s British Open

DRYBURGH later received the Rose bowl from club captain Tim Dickson and posed with her mum Marjory and dad, John, who acted as her caddie.

The tournament venue was identified and organised through connections of Kate Rose, who would have been watching her husband, Justin, play in The Open, had the event not been postponed.

The Roses put £35,000 of their own money into the Series to help British female professionals gain valuable playing opportunities during the coronavirus pandemic.

For Dryburgh, who also has a card on the LPGA and is expected to return to the States in the coming week, the tournaments have provided the perfect preparation for her first AIG Women’s British Open, due to take place at Royal Troon, next month.

Gemma added: “It’s perfect because we rarely get to play links golf, let alone famous Open Championship venues like Royal Troon and Royal St. George’s.”

•The action moves north for the first time next week when the JCB Golf & Country Club, at Uttoxeter, in Staffordshire, hosts its first professional event. Then there are just two regular events left at Bearwood Lakes, in Berkshire, and The Shire London, at Barnet.

The Rose Ladies Series Computacenter Grand Final then takes place over three days from August 5-7 – at North Hants, in Fleet, Ascot’s The Berkshire and then Wentworth’ West Course, which will also host its first women’s professional event, at the regular home of the European Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship.

Uttoxeter’s JCB Golf and Country Club will host next week’s fifth Rose Ladies Series event

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Lily May Humphreys took the lead with three holes to play in the Rose Ladies Series event – but Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh. Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

ESSEX’S Lily May Humphreys further underlined her career potential as she pushed for victory and fell just short of the winning total posted by Gemma Dryburgh in the third event of the Rose Ladies Series.

The 18-year-old England women’s international is no stranger to the top of leaderboards having won the 2019 Welsh and Irish Ladies Opens, the Annika Europe event.

And, just prior to lockdown in March, she reached the final of the Sunningdale Foursomes.

Coming down the stretch at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club, the teenager – one of only three amateurs in the field of 54 – harboured genuine dreams of winning her first professional event.

In the end, plus-six handicapper Humphreys had to settle for a one-under par round of 71 and a tie for fourth alongside Woburn’s LPGA winner Charley Hull.

Scotland’s Dryburgh carded six birdies in a round of 69 to edge one ahead of English duo Georgia Hall and Cara Gainer.

Gemma Dryburgh emerged victorious in the third Rose Ladies Series event. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

That was two clear of Humphreys in another fine all-round showing from England’s top women amateurs.

Ellie Gower also sealed a tie for eighth after a level-par round and Hertfordshire’s Hannah Screen recovered from two bad holes on the front nine to come home in 34 for a total of four-over par.

Humphreys in lead with three to go

HUMPHREYS proved to be a model of consistency on the front nine with eight straight pars.

The run ended on the ninth – not that the golfer from Stoke-by-Nayland GC was upset.

A birdie two on the 175-yard par three allowed her to reach the turn in 36.

A bogey five at the 10^th was swiftly remedied with a birdie at the next hole.

Another run of four pars then put England Golf’s 2019 Women and Girls’ Order of Merit winner firmly in contention for victory.

In fact, the Curtis Cup player was tied for the lead with three others after 15 holes.

She then took solo charge with another birdie two at the 161-yard 16^th hole as she moved to two-under.

A bogey five at the 17^th hole halted her charges.

Back-to-back birdies from Hall on the 13^th and 14^th holes allowed the 2018 Women’s British Open champion to take a familiar place at the top of the leaderboard – before being pipped in a dramatic finale.

Humphreys, though, can take great heart from her performance proving once again why she is ranked 18^th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Gower gave everything alongside Georgia

Ellie Gower – who plays for University of Colarado Boulder – played in the same group as runner-up Georgia Hall, the former Women’s British Open winner – and finished eighth. Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

GOWER birdied the fifth, ninth and 14^th holes in a fine level-par 72 around a course that has been used for US Women’s Open qualifiers.

The 17-year-old can be proud of ending the day in a tie for eighth.

For the second week running in this series, two England amateurs have achieved top 10 finishes.

Last week sisters Samantha and Annabell Fuller finished tied for second and seventh respectively at Moor Park Golf Club.

Gower, studying at the University of Colorado Boulder, didn’t panic after dropping three shots in her first three holes.

In fact she displayed skill and heart to bounce back into contention while playing in a group also containing former British Open champion Hall, and Chloe Frankish, who joined Gower on level-par.

Screen, who moved to Oklahoma University as a junior in September, was left to rue two disappointing holes on her front nine as she made a competitive return to golf after lockdown.

The England Women’s Overseas Squad player counted the cost of slips at the first and seventh holes en route to a round of 76.

Birdies at the fifth, 11^th and 15th holes, as well as the experience of teeing it up alongside Hull and Essex’s Gabriella Cowley will stand the 20-year-old Oklahoma University student in good stead as she heads to next week’s Faldo Series event at Brockett Hall.

•The Rose Ladies Series continues next week with a visit to Royal St George’s Golf Club, at Sandwich, in Kent – the venue for the 2021 Open Championship.

Final scores from The Buckinghamshire click here

Hannah Screen bounced back after some errors on the front nine but came home in 34. Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

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Michele Thomson made six birdies in her first round 67 to share top spot in the LET’s Women’s New South Wales Open at Dubbo GC, with fellow Aberdonian Gemma Dryburgh. Pictures by TRISTAN JONES

ABEREEN’S Gemma Dryburgh and Michele Thomson share a one-shot lead after a pair of five-under-par 67s in the first round of the Women’s New South Wales Open.

Thomson set the mark with six birdies – including five on the front nine – before finishing with a bogey on the short 18th hole at Dubbo Golf Club, a challenging course situated on the western banks of the Macquarie River.

Dryburgh, who went out in 34, came back in 33 with three birdies in her last six holes on a warm and sunny afternoon.

Thomson, whose best finish on the LET was second in the 2017 Hero Women’s Indian Open, said: “It was pretty steady. I hit a lot of fairways and greens and holed some really nice putts. So it was quite enjoyable.

“It was nice to feel that the driver was going to go straight, because you’re looking around about you, and there are a lot of people who are not finding the fairway. I just wanted to give myself chances and that’s what I did.

“The fairways are tough. You think you’re in the perfect spot but they will run out into the rough. I managed to find a few today, which definitely helped.

“I’d love another three five-unders. I’ve just got to keep going, keep my nose in front and let’s see what happens on Sunday.”

Michele Thomson has her father, Graham, serving as her caddie in Australia and she enjoys having him on the bag.

“Like with any father daughter relationship, he can get on my nerves occasionally. But he’s doing really well and it’s really hot here.

“He’s carrying the tour bag, so he’s doing a great job,” she said.

Gemma Dryburgh made seven birdies in her first round in the Women’s New South Wales Open to tie the lead after a five-under par 67. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

Dryburgh, who won the Oatlands Pro-Am on the ALPG Tour in 2017, is second on the LET’s Race to Costa Del Sol after her career-best fourth place finish in last week’s Geoff King Motors Australian Ladies Classic Bonville.

The 26-year-old, who spent four years on a golf scholarship in New Orleans at Tulane University, could move into pole position this week – as top-ranked Swede Linnea Strom is not playing Down Under.

She made seven birdies in total, but back-to-back bogeys on the fifth and sixth checked her momentum on the front nine before bouncing back well on the last nine.

Dryburgh said: “I hit my driver quite well. I only hit eight fairways, which is quite low usually, but the fairways are very narrow here – so it was a good day off the tee.

“I made a lot of putts as well. I was seeing the breaks really well. My putting has been improving and that’s been the missing piece over the last couple of years.

“So it’s nice to see the putts going in and hopefully they continue to do so for the next three days.”

The Scottish pair are ahead of Sweden’s Camilla Lennarth and Germany’s Olivia Cowan, with Swede Julia Engström, India’s Diksha Dagar and Australian Breanna Gill a stroke further back.

Last year’s LET order of merit winner Esther Henseleit, from Germany, the USA’s Beth Allen, Lincolnshire’s Holly Clyburn, Agathe Sauzon, from France, and two-time Thailand Championship winner Atthaya Thitikul – making her first start on the LET as a professional – are tied for eighth place on two-under-par.

•For live scoring in the Women’s New South Wales Open click here.

Atthaya Thitikul claimed the second of her two Thailand Championships as an amateur last June. She made her professional debut on the LET this week, in Australia, still only aged 17. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

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The USA’s Lauren Stephenson leads the Australian Ladies Classic at Bonville after an execllent 66 in the first round by the LPGA pro from South Carolina. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

AMERICAN Lauren Stephenson carded a six-under 66 to lead after the first round of the Geoff King Motors Australian Ladies Classic, at Bonville Golf Resort – a shot better than Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh.

The latter was joined by Finland’s Noora Komulainen, Australian Breanna Gill and Korean trio Min A Woon, Ayean Cho and Hye Ji Lee – all a stroke off the lead after posting 67s in perfect scoring conditions, on Thursday.

Dryburgh, who is no stranger to golf in Australia, also started on the ninth hole and tallied six birdies and one bogey, crediting a hot putter as the key to her success.

“Everything was pretty good today,” said Dryburugh from Aberdeen“Everything was pretty good today,” said Dryburugh, from Aberdeen, who played in the 2014 Curtis Cup. “This is my third time back in Bonville and I’ve been in Australia for six weeks now.

“So I’m loving life out here and the heat is much better than the weather at home. There were six birdies and one bogey, so I was rolling it well with the putter,” added Dryburgh who won the 2017 Oatlands Ladies Pro Am on the Australian Ladies PGA.

Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh during the first round. Picturey by TRISTAN JONES

Stephenson, from South Carolina, teed off from the ninth hole and began her round with a fast start, carding birdies on four of her first six holes.

The second-year LPGA player added three more birdies against one bogey to ease ahead of Dryburgh and the chasing pack.

“It was a great day. I had seven birdies and one bogey, where I missed a short putt,” said Stephenson. “I made a lot of good putts on the other holes so I couldn’t be too upset about it.

“The first nine holes are really scoreable so it’s important to get off to a great start. I made a birdie on my second hole and then just continued that and had three birdies in a row.

“The back nine was really important and it was great to go into the harder holes knowing that I had already had a couple of birdies.”

Stephenson spent last season as a rookie on the LPGA Tour. In 20 starts, the University of Alabama graduate made 11 cuts.

She produced one top-10, which was a tie for eighth in her first tournament, the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia. She ended the season ranked 85^th on the Race to CME Globe.

This is her fourth week of competition in 2020, as she played in the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio, tying for 35th before missing the cut in the ISPS Handa Vic Open.

Stephenson tied for 48^th in last week’s ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open.

Lauren added: “I love Australia. I’m super happy to be here for a month. I think I would move here if I didn’t live in the United States.

“The people are so nice and the golf is so fun. This course is extremely different to what we played the last two weeks in the Vic and Australian Opens, but this course is amazing.

“It’s nice to play something that’s more familiar to me, because my courses at home have a lot of grain and are similar to this style. I feel at home.”

Stephenson, playing out of a bunker, made seven birdies. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

ALPG rookie sits second at Bonville

MIN A Yoon who was making the third start of her professional career, had a solid, bogey-free round.

The ALPG Tour rookie said: “This is my third year of coming to play in Australia. I came here for two years as an amateur and now I have a different mindset as a pro.”

Komulainen started from the first hole and went out in 33, two-under-par, before coming back in three-under 34.

The Finn said: “That was my first round of the season, so I’m happy to start like this. I hit the ball really well and had a lot of birdie chances.

“I like the course. It’s beautiful and it’s always nice to be here.”

Both Lee and Cho – the top ranked player in the field at 35th on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings – finished well with four birdies on the back nine to get within one of the lead.

Meanwhile Western Australian Gill, who has won three titles on the ALPG Tour, revealed she played aggressively from the word ‘go’.

Sweden’s Lina Boqvist and Ireland’s Leona Maguire are tied for eighth place on four-under, with a further seven players tied for tenth.

The defending champion Marianne Skarpnord opened with a level par round of 72 to sit in a share of 38^th place.

Hertfordshire’s Hannah Burke, who was playing in her first event for eight months after a serious achilles injury, shot a two-over par 74 to lie in 73rd place.

•To see the first round leaderboard and follow Gemma Dryburgh in live scoring in round two click here.

Finland’s Noora Komulainen is tied for second place after a 67. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

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