Prestbury’s Cheshire county champion Bel Wardle claimed the English Women’s County Champion of Champions with an eight-shot win at Woodhall Spa GC.
Picture by LEAERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

BEL Wardle consolidated her reputation as one of England’s finest emerging talents as the Cheshire player was left smiling after dominating the English Women’s County Champion of Champions, at Woodhall Spa.

The 2017 English Women’s Open Strokeplay champion, from Prestbury GC, carded rounds of 72 and 71, which was enough to give her an eight-shot victory on three-under par.

Although confident of her form going into the event with England’s other county champions it was no easy trip for the youngster on a challenging course.

Wardle explained: “I felt confident coming into the event. I knew if I played well I would have a great chance of winning.

“I tried to stay positive during the two rounds. Woodhall Spa is a course where you are going to make mistakes – but it’s how you bounce back.

“I stayed patient and knew that there are birdie chances out there. My iron play was also very good, I set up makeable birdie chances that I took advantage of.

“If I got in trouble, I limited the damage and took my medicine. That kept double bogeys off the card.”

Although Wardle felt pressure from the field, she was always able to stay in control and ahead to secure the victory.

Wardle added: “Obviously there is always going to be pressure when you have the lead.

“But I just tried to concentrate on my game and try to get under par. I knew if I shot under par again I would have a great chance of winning.

“I was really happy to get the win. This year I’ve had many top 10 finishes in events but not a win.

“So very pleased to finally come through to win. I’m very proud to have represented Cheshire at the event and even happier to bring the trophy back.”

After emerging victorious, Wardle is now looking forward to a winter of development ahead of next year’s Curtis Cup.

Bel said: “My next target is to make it into the Curtis Cup team next year – the season is coming to an end, so the winter work begins.”

Wardle’s nearest challengers were Surrey champion Lottie Woad and Bethany Garton, from Lancashire.

Woad represented England when finishing sixth at this year’s European Young Masters in the Czech Republic.

And the Farnham GC teenager maintained her fine recent run of form by recovering from an opening 78 to post a 73 and finish on five-over.

Garton, from Royal Lytham and St Annes, carded rounds of 76 and 75 to post the same total.

Suffolk champion Alice Barlow (Bury St Edmonds) carded rounds of 77 and 75 to finish fourth on 152, while Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon’s Emily Slater (Gog Magog) and Dorset’s Melissa McMahon (Lyme Regis) shared fifth place a futher shot back.

For full scores click here.

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England’s winning European Nations Cup team at Sotogrande, who wil face Spain next weekend at Formby. Picture by LEADERBOARD

THE players who won the European Nations Cup at Sotogrande last weekend have all been selected for England’s team to face Spain, in next week’s annual international, at Formby Golf Club.

Champions Ben Jones, Tom Plumb, Tom Sloman and Bailey Gill (pictured left to right above) will be joined at the Lancashire links course by the women’s European Nations Cup bronze medallists, Georgina Blackman, Emily Toy and Bel Wardle for the mixed-team format clash.

The 10-strong team will be completed by Devon’s Jake Burnage, Ben Hutchinson and Essex’s Lily May Humphreys.The players will follow in the steps of golfing giants as they take part in the biennial match, over the weekend of April 27 and 28.

Over the years, it’s been contested by the likes of Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Sergio Garcia and Jose Maria Olazabal.The match started in 1985 as a men’s fixture with England leading Spain 14-2 by 2013.

It became a mixed event in 2015 and England have won both matches played so far.

The teams compete for the Seve Ballesteros Trophy and this year’s match will be played in memory of Spain’s Celia Barquin Arozamena – the 2018 European Ladies’ Champion, who was tragically murdered while at college at Iowa, in the USA, last year.

Meet England’s 10-strong squad to face Spain at Formby

Georgina Blackman, 23, (Chelmsford, Essex) – English Women’s Amateur Champion was third in the 2109 Portuguese Women’s Amateur. Currently second on the English Women’s Order of Merit.

Jake Burnage, 23, (Saunton, Devon) – third in the South Beach international in Miami at the end of last year, before competing in Australia. Past winner of the Walton Heath Trophy.

Bailey Gill, 21, (Lindrick, Yorkshire) was fifth in this year’s Portuguese Amateur, having represented England on a tour of Australia in the New Year, following a successful 2018 season.

Lily May Humphreys, 17, (Stoke by Nayland, Essex) – Curtis Cup player who was crowned 2018 Scottish Women’s Open champion. Played in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur and was fifth in the 2019 Italian Open.

Ben Hutchinson, 23, (Howley Hall, Yorkshire) – Finished 10^th in last weekend’s Hampshire Salver. Quarter finalist in March’s Spanish Amateur. Reached last 16 at 2018 Amateur Championship.

Ben Jones, 19, (Northamptonshire County) – Semi-finalist in NSW Amateur in Australia in February. Reached matchplay stages of Spanish Amateur and joint runner-up in the 2018 Portuguese Amateur.

Tom Plumb, 20, (Yeovil, Somerset) – Won the Cape Province Open in March and third in January’s South American Amateur in Chile.

Tom Sloman, 22, (Taunton & Pickeridge, Somerset) – Individual winner at European Nations Cup at Sotogrande. Reached last 16 in 2019 Australian Amateur and runner-up in 2018 Welsh Open. Highest ranked Englishman at No. 32 in OWGR.

Emily Toy, 21, (Carlyon Bay, Cornwall) – Won Women’s New South Wales Strokeplay and fifth in Avondale Amateur Down Under in January. Shared fourth place in 2018 English Women’s Amateur.

Bel Wardle, 19, (Prestbury, Cheshire) – Leads English Women’s Order of Merit, after finishing fourth as defending champion in Portuguese Amateur. Quarter-finalist in the Spanish Amateur and won Comboy Scratch Trophy.

Essex’s Lily May Humphreys who was invited to play at Augusta National’s Women’s Amateur this month and will now play for England at Formby

•For full results from the European Nations Cup at Sotogrande click here.

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