Top teen takes Wiltshire crown

10:32am Sunday 27th April 2008

Thirteen-year old Hannah Turland, from Tidworth Garrison Golf Club, has won the 2008 Wiltshire Ladies' County Championship, becoming the youngest player ever to take the title.

In a nail-biting final over 36 holes at the Hamptworth Golf and Country Club, Jo Shorrocks from Hamptworth made a birdie on the 36th hole forcing a sudden death play off.

The pair headed down the first hole for the third time and Hannah replied with a birdie of her own to take the championship.

Hannah is already England's National Under 13 Champion and was part of the England team which retained the Nations Cup at the Scottish Under 16 Open Strokeplay Championship at Craigielaw last month.

Hannah completed the opening round of the County Championship in 71, equalling the ladies' course record at Hamptworth set by Jo Shorrocks last September. Another fine performance came from the youngest player in the field, 12 year old Kyra Horlock, from Hamptworth, who played under her handicap in both rounds to bring her handicap down to 7.

The format for the Ladies' County Championship was slightly changed this year with two rounds of strokeplay on the first day, with the top 8 qualifiers going on to the match play phase for the Championship and the second 8 competing in a second flight for the new Gillian Wood trophy. Two teenagers from Broome Manor battled it out in the second flight final, with 18 year old, Sarah Carvell, winning by just one hole from 17 year old Sophie Newman.

In spite of some very wet and windy weather on the first two days, the standard of the golf this year was excellent with the youngsters putting on a particularly fine display. The future of ladies' golf in Wiltshire looks bright indeed.