Launceston Golf Club
Cornwall Ladies County Golf Association Championships at Launceston Golf Club — Thursday, April 12 to Sunday, April 15
Thursday (36 holes qualifying)
THE Cornwall Ladies County Golf Association Championships returned to Launceston after 18 years on Thursday, April 12, and 58 players from 13 clubs, including four juniors, set out for the 110th Championship.
The best score of the day was returned by past champion Emily Toy with a five-under 68 followed by former winner and England star Georgia Price (Bude) with level-par 72, St Mellion’s Megan Giles (73) and 17-year-old Danielle Price (75).
Rain came in for the afternoon round but Giles was one-under to score 72 and claim the top qualifier spot followed by Price as the second qualifier (72+76).
Angie Chapman claimed fame by having a hole in one on the 15th hole while Toy had to withdraw from the Championship due to illness.
The Western Morning News Cup for the four best gross scores was won by Perranporth for the second year (643) followed by Carlyon Bay (687).
Friday Matchplay and Saturday’s semi-finals
THE weather remained fair for the matchplay. There are three competitions played over the final days with the main championship for the top 16 qualifiers, a Plate competition for the second 16 and an Advanced Plate for the players losing in round one of the main championship.
Launceston’s Jan Harrison, Cath Hopkins and Wendy Briggs all made the top 16 but Harrison and Hopkins came up against strong opposition on the Friday morning and lost again in the afternoon in round one of the Advanced Plate.
Briggs won her Friday morning match but lost her quarter-final to Danielle Price.
The eventual championship finalists were Georgia Price and Giles as they progressed through the rounds before defeating Laura Andrew and Danielle Price in Saturday’s semi-finals.
Sunday finals
HEAVY overnight rain gave way to showers for the three finals with the Advanced and Plate finals played over one round in the morning.
Jan Sargent had a good battle against clubmate Angie Chapman but finally took the honours on the 17th hole to take her seventh Advanced Plate title.
The Plate final between Anna Sendall and Pauline Clifton was also tight with Anna winning on the final hole.
The showpiece event, the Championship final, was played over 36 holes.
In the morning, Price was 1-up after 10 but Giles turned it around winning 13, 15 and 17 to be 2-up at lunch.
It was a ding-dong match in the afternoon with Price gaining control at the 27th to go ahead but she lost the 28th for the match to go all square.
Giles then won the 31st to go 1-up and they halved the remaining holes for Giles to take it in the decider and claim her first county title.
CORNWALL County Ladies president and Launceston member, Helen Davey, gave an emotional speech at the prize presentation thanking the players for making the week so special as well as thanking Launceston Ladies captain Sharon Trafford and all staff and volunteers at the club for making the county so welcome.
The course received some wonderful praise from the players many of whom travel far and wide for their golf and many felt that Launceston can hold its own with far more celebrated venues.
Ladies Section
Stableford Competition — Thursday, April 19
Winner: Sarah Ross — 34pts; Runner-up: Sarah Ockwell — 32pts; 3rd: Liz Hicks — 30pts
Seniors Section
Home match v Yelverton — Monday, April 16
Launceston 2
Yelverton 4
THE visitors brought six pairs of golfers to play at Launceston in gusty weather.
Both teams enjoyed the match, however the Devon side came out on top, 4-2.
The two pairs who won their matches for Launceston were Stuart Phillipotts and Robin Johnson and Derek Ratcliffe and Francis Griffiths.
Away match v Downes Crediton — Friday, April 20
Downes Crediton 3.5
Launceston 2.5
THE seniors have fixtures more fixtures against Devon clubs this year, and their first ever match at Downes Crediton took place in wonderful weather.
In the end, Downes Crediton won by a solitary point, meaning Launceston are still looking for their first win of the season.
Nearest the pin for Launceston was John Mullins, who just beat the match captain, Martin Thompson, to win a bottle of wine.