Hertfordshire’s England junior international Jack Bigham and Farnham’s Lottie Woad will be able to compete in England’s first mixed-gender junior championship in 2021.
Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

ENGLAND Golf will stage its first ever mixed-gender championship during the 2021 season.

The landmark tournament – the English Under 18 Championship – will see boys and girls tee it up alongside each other and compete for the one trophy at Surrey’s Farnham Golf Club, between 25-27 June.

The field of 132 players (66 boys and 66 girls) will go head-to-head over 72 holes of strokeplay with no handicap or stroke allowances given.

The girls will play from separate tees from the boys, but the set-up will be done in such a way as to make the scores comparable.

England Golf’s director of championships James Crampton said: “We are always looking at innovative and positive ways to take the game forward – and this event is a step in that direction.

“It’s an exciting concept and one that I know the boys and girls will fully embrace.

“This promises to be another fantastic event for junior golfers in England, bringing together the cream of the country’s young amateurs for three days of excellent competition.”

Farnham GC has been given the honour of staging the event – a fitting way for the stunning heathland venue to celebrate its 125^th anniversary.

All competitors will play 18 holes of strokeplay on each of the first two days.

The top 40 players and ties will then progress for the final day and carry forward their scores before a further 36 holes of strokeplay decides the winner.

The championship is also the first “closed” event in England for juniors and repeats the successful formula at events already included in the schedule for men and women.

It is open to competitors who were born in England – or who have a parent or grandparent who were born in England, or who have resided in England for two years prior to the start of the championship.

England junior international Lottie Woad will be one of fancied favourites when the event is held on her home course at Farnham.

Woad – the youngest-ever winner of the Surrey Ladies Amateur Championship at just 15 in 2019 – reached the quarter-finals of the English Amateur this summer.

She also received a couple invites to play in the first and last of the seven Rose Ladies Series events in 2020, including the Grand Final.

Woad made the cut after 36 holes at The Berkshire and North Hants, she qualified for the weekend final at Wentworth, which was sadly abandoned because of the huge heathland fire that swept across the Chobham Common, in early July.

Winning England’s first mixed-gender championship would boost an already impressive CV for the runner-up in the 2018 English Schools Championship.

Moortown – one of Yorkshire’s finest heathland courses – staged the first-ever Ryder Cup held in the UK back in 1929

English Amateurs head to Moortown

ENGLAND Golf’s inaugural mixed-gender event follows on from the staging of the 2020 English Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships.

They were held simultaneously at Woodhall Spa – England Golf’s HQ – for the first time earlier this year.

Both championships will continue to be staged side by side in 2021 as a joint celebration of amateur golf in England.

Headingley and Moortown in Leeds will co-host the 2021 English Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships between July 27 and August 1.

Moortown last hosted the championship back in 1994 when the format saw 256 players enter a straight knockout with 16 seeded players.

Worksop’s Mark Foster, who went on to win on the European Tour, claimed the first of his two back-to-back championships, beating Alan Johnson in the final, before his successful defence at Hunstanton 12 months later when he beat Sam Jarman.

The use of two venues for the English Amateur was introduced in 2009 when Middlesex’s Luke Goddard beat Surrey’s Farren Keenan in the final at Rye, with Littlestone used as the second qualifying course.

But clubs like Woburn (2011), Frilford Heath (2013), Saunton (2014), The Berkshire (2017) and Woodhall Spa (2020) have two courses capapable of hosting the large championship field during the 36-hole qualifier.\

Moortown also hosted the English Amateur in 1980 when Peter Deeble claimed the crown, and Sir Michael Bonallack famously beat Michael Lunt there in the 1962 final.

The Leeds club first hosted the championship in 1938 when Frank Pennink successfully defended the title he won at Saunton a year earlier.

In 1929, Moortown hosted the first Ryder Cup to be held on UK soil which Great Britain and Ireland won 7-5.

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Lottie Woad is one of three amateurs to get an invite to the Brokenhurst Manor Women’s Open – the first of the new Rose Ladies Series. Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

SURREY Ladies Amateur Champion Lottie Woad says it will be a thrill to kick-start her 2020 season competing alongside many of her golf idols in the first event of the Rose Ladies Series.

The England Girls’ squad player is one of three amateurs taking part in Thursday’s 18-hole professional event at the New Forest’s Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club.

England Golf ambassador Justin Rose and his wife Kate are sponsoring eight such events between now and August.

England women’s squad player Mimi Rhodes – winner of last year’s Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship in Portugal – has also been invited to the star-studded tournament.

Under 16 international Louise Burke, from Dorset, is the third England Golf representative in the field of 51 players.

It is the first post-lockdown event for players earning a living on the Ladies’ European Tour.

It’s an exciting return to action for the women’s game. Stars such as Woburn’s Charley Hull, Northamptonshire’s LET winner Meg Maclaren, and LET rookie Alice Hewson are heading to Hampshire.

Rose – the 2013 US Open winner and reigning Olympic champion – has sponsored the seven-event series and grand final with backing from retail outlet American Golf.

Lottie Woad (left) on England U16 duty last summer with Louise Burke (second from right), from Dorset, who is also in the field at Brokenhurst Manor

Woad working hard in her garden

WOAD has spent the past few months practising solidly in her garden at Her Farnham home.

And she is eagerly anticipating the day when she can return to competitive golf.

The fact that her comeback is in such a landmark event just makes the prospect even more exciting for the 16-year-old.

“It’s my first ever pro event and my first competition of the year,” said Woad, who became the youngest to land the Surrey crown, in April 2019, aged just 15

“I’ve not played an event since October when England took on Ireland at Hunstanton.

“I read on Twitter that these ladies’ events were starting up. I got in contact with the organiser – LET player Liz Young – to ask about amateurs being involved.

“Then Justin Rose came on board as a sponsor, and last Thursday I heard I was one of three amateur invites.

“It’s a brilliant way to start the season. I found out on Monday that I was paired with Meg MacLaren, which is really exciting.

“Meg was speaking to England players during an online session a few weeks ago. It was great fun and very helpful. So I’m looking forward to getting the chance to now play with her.”

Practice round will help Lottie with nerves

Lottie Woad has won both the Surrey Girls and Ladies titles

THERE may be some butterflies on the first tee for the England trio.

But Lottie Woad is just eager to get back on the course with a scorecard in her hand.

“I won’t overthink things and just try to play my own game – and not get caught up in the event itself,” added Woad, who will have dad Nick on the bag.

“I was down at Brokenhurst at the weekend to play a practice round. It’s less than an hour’s drive from where I live so really easy to get to.

“It’s a beautiful course and we even had a herd of deer join us on one of the holes.

“I feel my golf is in good shape as I’ve spent most of lockdown practising,” added Lottie, who won the Surrey Girls’ crown in 2018.

“My GCSE exams were cancelled, but fortunately I had good mocks to fall back on,” said Lottie, who added the Surrey Ladies’ title last spring.

“I was playing at Farnham Golf Club the first day golf was allowed back and birdied the first hole and shot two-under which was a good start.”

WOAD also made a splash on Twitter during lockdown with regular posts of her attempting a flop shot in her back garden.

Her exploits, picked up by the LET, Sky and The R&A, show off skills that Rose himself would be proud of.

“If I need to hit a flop shot then I should be ok,” joked Woad.

“I started hitting over a fence, then progressed to hit over a netball stand into a bowl.

“There’s no grass left in that bit of the garden now,” said Lottie.

The teenager shaved three years off the Surrey Ladies’ County Championship record once held by Dame Laura Davies.

The most successful British player in LET history is also down to play at Brokenhurst Manor.

After the Brokenhurst Manor event, the series moves to the following venues:–
June 25: Moor Park Golf Club
July 2: Buckinghamshire Golf Club
9: Royal St George’s Golf Club
16: JCB Golf and Country Club
23: Bearwood Lakes
30: The Shire, London
GRAND FINAL
August 6: The Berkshire Golf Club
7: Wentworth Golf Club (West Course)

Sky Sports will provide TV coverage – check England Golf on Twitter for updates of Lottie’s progress.

Justin Rose – the 2013 US Open winner and the 2016 Olympic Champion – who has sponsored the series of women’s events in the UK with his wife Kate

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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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