English Women’s Amateur knock-out begins shock win for Yorkshire player
There was a huge upset in the first round of the English Women’s Amateur Championship today where Yorkshire’s Katie Stephens took out No 2 seed Lottie Woad.
FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play / 5 rounds of matchplay
The Middlesbrough GC teenager squeezed into the knockout stages last night but will now take on Hampshire teenager Gemma Burgess for a place in the last eight tomorrow.
Woad, who won all six matches as England’s Women regained their European Team Championship earlier this month, went two up after six but her opponent won four holes in a row, starting at the next and also took the 12th to go three up.
The Surrey star cut the gap at the 15th and then was conceded the 17th before Stephens held her nerve impressively at the last where a birdie gave her a two-hole victory.
There was also a massive victory for Stephens’ county team-mate Nicola Slater (Lindrick), who used all her home advantage to beat Rebecca Earl (Bishops Stortford).
The Hertfordshire player reached the last eight of the Women’s Amateur last month and looked likely to go a long way this week having qualified for the knock-out stages in third.
But the 2021 Yorkshire champion came through smiling in an eventful encounter. Earl won four holes in a row to go ahead on the 11th having been three down after seven.
But Slater won three of the next five and, despite losing the 17th, ended up a two-hole winner. Par was enough for the home favourite and she will now face Maria Toledo Bailey (Walmley) for a place in the last eight tomorrow.
It also proved an unforgettable day for Somerset star Davina Xanh, who beat Surrey’s Abbi Rowlands 9&7.
The Mendip Spring junior turned in 33 and also birdied 10 and 11, where a two meant she finished the job by winning six holes in row.
For all the scores click here