Bury St Edmunds Golf Club member, Alice Barlow has secured her Fourth successive Suffolk Matchplay title to become County Champion, after defeating her team mate Lottie Whyman in the final at Ipswich Golf Club.
The 36 hole stroke play element was cut down to 18 holes because of torrential rain which turned the course into a boating lake. Alice was well placed with a level par round of 73 but Lottie Whyman secured the Strokeplay championship with a three under par 70.
Alice said she was over the moon to win for the fourth year running. And thought she was going home in the quarter final on Saturday afternoon against Abbie Symonds where she was two down with two to play and somehow found an eagle on 18 with a 35 foot putt to take it to extra holes and won with a birdie on the 21st hole ”In the Final Alice raced into a five hole lead with Whyman not at her normal best as Alice played solid golf. Whyman secured a half at 6, both had a birdie at seven for half but a wayward drive by Whyman at 8 let Barlow have a 7 hole lead after nine holes, which has probably never been seen in a Suffolk final before. Two halves at 10 and 11 and Whyman’s approach at 12 was good enough for a birdie to take it down 13 when Barlow made her first error of judgment on the greens and Whyman was back to 5 down. Two cracking drives down 14 saw Barlow execute a great second to 12 feet and the match was as good as over with Whyman having to win the hole. Final result Barlow wins 6 & 4.
Alice was also happy to see a few juniors enter the competition this year and some coming to support. I am hoping a few more will be up for it next year.
Easter Region Champion – The East Region Championship was played at Hadley Wood in Hertfordshire. The competition was reduced to 18 holes because round 1 was washed out. Alice scored a level par 73 to win and birdied the last hole which was the 14th to take the win, a great way to finish the season for Alice to go with her Suffolk County Championship win earlier in the season together with her Club achievements.
Bury St Edmunds Golf Club member, Georgia Parker beat Jessica Buck of Halesworth 5 & 3 to become the Girls Matchplay Champion 2019 at Purdis Heath, great result again for Georgia.
Georgia takes top Nett prize at Suffolk Ladies Championships
Georgia Parker and Chloe Dixon played at the weekend in the Suffolk Ladies Championships at Ipswich Golf Club.
Georgia finished 1st in the nett competition taking the coveted Berendt Handicap Jug which so many county champions have won in the past. Georgia will certainly be in the fold to graduate to the main county squad with her round of 76 nett 69 -4 par. The main event was reduced to one round due to torrential rain flooding the course. Georgia played Molly Newson a former junior county team player and a close match was won on the 18th 2up. In her Quarter Final Georgia was pitted against the experienced Suffolk player Lils James and in a great match finally came a little short losing on the 16th 3 & 2.
Steven Duffety from Bury St Edmunds has won the Suffolk Seniors Matchplay Championship 2019 pictured here receiving the Platten Salver with Phil Platten & Bill Darling.