Newport maintained their fine run in the Welsh Women’s Team Championship, winning it for the fifth time in 11 years at Cradoc Golf Club.
FORMAT: team matchplay knockout
The Monmouthshire club beat Pyle and Kenfig 3.5-1.5 in the final and were able to claim the title for the first time since 2017 despite the loss of two players to university. Their other recent victories came in 2011, 2105 and 2016.
This season’s championship was disrupted by the heatwave that struck the country in early August and the semi-finals and final were held over for a month. Normally the final four rounds are played across two days.
For co-captain Chris Rossiter there was a great deal of pride regarding the achievement and also the efforts of the duo who came in for just the final two matches at Cradoc.
She said: “With the delay we lost two players to university but Sophie Dawkins stepped in and won 4&3 in the semi-final and then 7&5 in the final which was such a boost for the rest of the team
“I was so thrilled for Sophie and couldn’t have asked for any more from her.
“We have a young team and I am really proud of what they have achieved. They understand it is important to play in events like this and I think they find it quite a tonic to play in a team environment.
“However the real key to our success was everyone contributed towards the win.”
Newport squad:
• Lauren Hillier
• Jess Evans
• Lottie Raymond
• Megan Vineall
• Ffion Vineall
• Charlotte Dawkins
• Sophie Dawkins
• Chloe Fido
• Lucy Salmon
In the morning semi-finals P&K were convincing 4-1 victors over St Pierre while Newport, who were runners-up last year, battled past Langland Bay 3-2 with Welsh international Lauren Hillier once again leading from the front in securing a 2-1 victory.
In the final Hillier saw off talented junior Elin Tynan and Jess Evans was a 3&1 victor over Cerys Jenkins, which secured Newport their winning point. However, having been four up with four to play, a couple of missed opportunities on holes 15 and 16 added to the tension on the penultimate hole where Evans secured a birdie to win the match.
The next match involving Newport’s Megan Vineall and Claire Hopkin was halved before Cheryl Western beat Charlotte Dawkins – mum of Sophie – 5&4 but Sophie Dawkins was always in control against Kay Bradbury and it was all over by the 12th.
Newport made it through two qualifying matches to reach the last 16, seeing off Whitchurch back in May and then Royal Porthcawl in June.
The one disappointment for the new champions was co-captain Judith Wenman and players Lottie Raymond and Ffion Vineall were unable to attend the finals.