Caz Parkes-Walley became the first player since 1983 to win five Leicestershire and Rutland County Championships at Rothley Park on Sunday.
FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play qualifier / 3 rounds of matchplay
And this time around a very special guest was on hand to witness her success in the 36-hole showdown with club-mate Ellie York (5&3).
The Lutterworth player’s 14-month-old daughter Georgia was there with her other mum, three-time county champion Gemma Parkes-Walley, to witness the 37-year-old reclaim the title she first won in 2010. In between she amassed three in a row, starting in 2017.
“I think she slept most of the way but it was lovely to have them follow me around,” said Parkes-Walley.
“It was a really good final. There were lots of birdies – we both managed to hole a few putts and we both kept it in play well.”
In the morning round York fought back well after losing the first two holes but, critically, her experienced opponent hit top gear down the stretch and won four of the last five holes to reach halfway four up.
In the afternoon the 2016 and 2020 Leicestershire & Rutland champion got a shot back back at the third but was five down with nine to go as Parkes-Walley took the fifth and sixth with birdies.
York wasn’t finished though. She hung in there by winning 12 and 13, Parkes-Walley won the next and then closed things out with a birdie on 15.
It capped a superb few days for the new champion, who came out on top at the stroke play qualifier the previous Sunday.
On Saturday she was never behind in reaching the last two but in the semi-final against Kirby Muxloe teenager Gabriella Crowfoot endured a nervy finish having gone dormie at at the 14th.
The 14-year-old won 15 and 16 and, having missed the green with her second, the soon-to-be-champion got up and down, holing from ten feet for her par to close out the match.