Ludlow GC’s Emily Price joined the likes of Trish Johnson, Rebecca Hudson and Julie Hall by winning the English Women’s Amateur Championship – beating Lily May Humphreys. Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAHY

LUDLOW’S Emily Price celebrated the biggest win of her career after coming from behind to defeat Lily May Humphreys in the English Women’s Amateur Championship final.

Price claimed a 4&3 victory over the England international in a thrilling 36-hole final, at Woodhall Spa Golf Club, in Lincolnshire.

The Shropshire star also became just the seventh player to win both the English Women’s Amateur and Strokeplay title in their career.

That matches the likes of LET stars Trish Johnson and Rebecca Hudson, as well as Scottish-based pro Julie Otto.

She won three national championships as Julie Hall (nee Wade), to go with her two strokeplay victories between 1987 and 1995.

However, the 2020 final score did not tell the full story of a game that ebbed and flowed. And one that perhaps turned with one putt on the 18^th hole of the morning round.

After being two-down to 18-year-old Humphreys for most of the back nine, Price clawed a hole back at the 16^th.

But she found trouble off the tee at the par five, 18^th hole.

However, a smart bunker shot followed by a brilliant wedge and a 15-foot birdie putt saw her head into lunch all-square and with a spring in her step.

A par-birdie start after lunch edged Price into a lead that she never surrendered. Victory was sealed on the 33rd hole on the Hotchkin Course.

For Humphreys, there was deep disappointment a year after losing to Ellen Hume in the final.

However, the Essex golfer – who won the Sunningdale Foursomes before the COVID-19 lockdown came in March – can be proud of her efforts at the home of England Golf.

The glory, though, belonged to Price who cradled the trophy – first played for in 1914 – as she described the best win of her career.

Essex’s Lily May Humphrey’s lost in the final for a second year in a row. Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

‘Birdie at the 18th hole was pivotal’

WHEN asked if her birdie on 18 in the morning was significant, the new champion admitted: “Yes – 100 per cent.

“To come in not one-down and to hole a decent length birdie gave me momentum and positive energy,” said Price.

“Lily came out and was playing unbelievable. I was two-down and scraped it back on 18 to get all-square.

“Then I started hot in the afternoon and kept the momentum going.

“The aim was fairways, greens and two putts for pars. I finished three-under which was ok.”

Price underlined her star potential as a 16-year-old by winning the English Women’s Strokeplay Championship in 2016.

Now the sky’s the limit for Price as she prepares to return to Ohio’s Kent State University, in America, for the final two years of her golf scholarship.

After being introduced as the 2020 English Women’s Amateur champion, she said with a smile: “It sounds amazing and feels even better.

“To come and take the win after a very long week is unbelievable. And to perform the way I have is the best feeling you can ever get as a player,” she said.

“It’s been a few years since I won – a distant memory. But it feels good to be holding this and having won an event of this calibre, now I’m 20 years old.

“It will really help boost me and get me going for the rest of the season.”

Great to be back playing golf says new champ

AT the start of the week 66 of the top women amateurs in the country teed it up for two rounds of strokeplay. The top 16 made it through to the knockout stages.

In a safe and secure environment – and with the men’s amateur championship running alongside the women’s for the first time in England Golf’s history – players were able to concentrate on their game.

Price spoke on behalf of the golfers when she said: “It’s been great to get back out there – all of us haven’t played in so long.

“The event has been set up great by England Golf and Woodhall Spa Golf Club and the players have appreciated it – as well as managing boys and girls at the same event.

“It’s been great to have the boys here too and see so many competing.”

•For the full results from Woodhall Spa, click here.

Dorset’s Hayley Davis who won the English Amateur Championship in 2010 at Broadstone

Davis was last player to complete English double

THE other players to complete the English Women’s Amateur and Strokeplay double are Dorset’s Hayley Davis, Yorkshire’s Emma Duggleby, and Lancashire’s Fiona Brown.

Davis, from Ferndown, claimed the English Women’s at nearby Broadstone in 2010 – four years before winning the Strokeplay crown at Tandridge, in Surrey. She is now an LET Access Tour player.

Hudson and Duggleby were Yorkshire and England team-mates and dominated the women’s amateur ranks in the late 1990s and early 21st century.

Hudson’s English Women’s win came at West Sussex in 2001, a year after her strokeplay success at Silloth-on-Solway.

Duggleby won the Strokeplay at Broadstone in 1998. The biggest win of her career came two years later at Hunstanton. It also denied Hudson any chance of the double in the same year.

Johnson, who played for Middlesex before turning pro, is the only player to have won both titles in the same year.

Suffolk’s Julie Wade, a member at Felixstowe Ferry, won the English Strokeplay in 1987 at Northumberland GC. She claimed her first national crown at Little Aston a year later.

Her second Strokeplay came in 1993 at Kings Norton, in Coventry, after her first marriage. Hall then won the English Amateur back to back in 1994 and ‘95, at The Berkshire and Ipswich GC respectively.

Only four women have won the English Championship back to back – the last was Bronte Law in 2014 and 2015.

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Horne Park’s George Groves went one better in this year’s Disability Open at Stoke by Nayland, beating Duncan Hamilton-Martin, from Weybridge’s St George’s Hill by a shot.
Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

WORLD No.1 George Groves claimed his first title on home soil when he beat a strong international field in blustery but dry conditions in the 2019 English Disability Open staged over Stoke by Nayland’s Gainsborough course.

Groves, from Surrey’s Horne Park Golf Club, carded rounds of 77 and 74 to claim a five-shot victory over veteran competitor Duncan Hamilton-Martin, from Weybridge’s St George’s Hill.

Groves’ rival finished on seven-over par with Woking’s Ami Bullock taking third place a further four shots behind to make it a one-two-three for Surrey with Oxfordshire’s Andrew Gardiner, from Kirtlington GC, a further shot back in fourth.

The victory made up for the disappointment of being pipped to the title 12 months ago by Beardsall Priory’s Michael Horsley at The Warwickshire.

And it should also earn Groves a place in the field for the disability event being run in tandem with the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, in November.

“It was great to get my first English title under the belt,” said new champion Groves. “There’s a lot of competition out there for my World No. 1 slot and hopefully this is enough to secure my place to Dubai.

“I really loved the course and the competitors here at Stoke by Nayland and am really happy with the result.”

The English Disability Open, which was part of the England Golf championships calendar for the first time, was open to players who are eligible for the World Rankings for Golfers with a disability (WR4GD).

It attracted 42 male and female competitors from across Britain, France and The Netherlands, including new players Ellie Perks, from Worcestershire’s Hagley GC, and Cheshire’s George Blackshaw, from Delamere Forest GC.

During the competition there were other winners for the nett and Stableford categories

The Shropshire’s Tony Lloyd finished on one-under par to win the handicap prize for players off 20 or less after carding a nett total of 143.

In the Stableford competition for players off more than 20, Llanwern’s Kevin Cook recorded rounds of 34 and 29 points to win the title by two points with his total of 63 points.

The presentations were made by John Williams, past president of England Golf, and Susanna Rendall, director of Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa.

England Golf’s inclusion manager Jamie Blair said: “This event truly shows that golf and the handicap system focusses on your ability as a golfer and not your disability.

“Stoke by Nayland have been fantastic hosts and I would like to say thank you to the management, staff, members and volunteers who have embraced this event, creating a welcoming environment for players new and experienced and making it a huge success.

“I would also like to say thank you to our referees and to the R&A for their support.

“Without them, we would not be able to run a championship that showcases the game at the highest level of competition for golfers with a disability in England.”

For full scores click here.

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