It was business as usual for Buckinghamshire Ladies as they won the England Golf Midlands South qualifier for the eighth time in a row yesterday.
FORMAT: Six-team round-robin playing 2 foursomes & 3 singles
The reigning champions won all five of their matches at Leamington & County, dropping just five individual points along the way and they will now represent the region in the English County Finals at Stoneham in September (16-18th). Last year Surrey won the overall title.
Winning Buckinghamshire squad:
• Ella Butteriss (Beaconsfield)
• Hannah Cash (The Buckinghamshire)
• Megan Dennis (Woburn)
• Thalia Kirby (Harleyford)
• Alice Kozlowski (Ellesborough)
• Georgia Lloyd (Buckingham)
• Grace Rigby-Walden (Gerrards Cross)
• Lily Robinson (Buckingham)
The all-conquering Bucks team are unbeaten in the event since 2014 and once again Alice Kozlowski (Ellesborough), Megan Dennis (Woburn) and former England international Thalia Kirby (Harleyford) all tasted victory. The trio have been part of all eight winning teams.
Despite being without junior internationals Roisin Scanlon, Rosie Bee Kim and Olivia Lee, the experienced Bucks outfit were rarely troubled although their opening match against hosts Warwickshire was relatively tight early but a come-from-behind victory for Grace Rigby-Walden (Gerrards Cross) and Kozlowski in the foursomes ensured a 4-1 win.
Final standings
1) Buckinghamshire P5 W5, D0, L0
2) Worcs & Hereford P5, W3, D1, L1
3) Warwickshire P5, W2, D 1, L2
4) Berkshire P5, W1, D2, L2
5) Oxfordshire P5, W 1, D0, L4
6) Northamptonshire P5, W1, D0, L4
After lunch they only dropped half a point in dispatching Berkshire with Rigby-Walden battling back to half her match on the 18th.
The following morning they were expecting a tough affair with Worcestershire & Herefordshire and it proved to be their hardest-fought win. Critically county champion Ella Butteriss (Beaconsfield) won her final two holes to get a half while Kozlowski, who won all five of her matches, also came from behind before securing a point on the 18th.
The victory meant a win after lunch would secure them the title and they did it in style with debutant Georgia Lloyd (Buckingham) and Kozlowski fighting back to take their foursomes tie by two holes while there were big wins for Dennis and Hannah Cash (The Buckinghamshire), who also claimed maximum points from her five matches.
There were also some thumping victories on the final morning as they saw off Northants 5-0 while Rigby-Walden was one down at halfway in her clash with Leah Ribano but eventually claimed a 3&2 success.
This year’s County Finals take place at Stoneham (September 16th) where Buckinghamshire will take on Cheshire, Nottinghamshire, Essex, Kent and the winners of the South West final, which takes place at Clevedon GC next week (July 4-6).