Congratulations Caroline
Cheshire’s Caroline Berry was queen of the greens today as she claimed her second win in the English Senior Women’s Amateur Championship at Enville Golf Club in Staffordshire.
She holed a 25-footer for birdie on the 15th to close out the final, defeating Paula Carver of Sussex by 4/3.
“To say I am thrilled is the understatement of the world,” said Berry, from Bromborough Golf Club.
“It gets harder and harder and these youngsters are getting better and better. But sometimes you have the feeling that it’s your year and I felt good coming in to this, good about my game and good about my putting.”
Berry’s game was in all-round great shape in the final, but her putting was outstanding and she holed a number of clutch putts to keep or extend her lead.
In one rare aberration on the 11th, she misjudged a putt from off the green, sending it about 20ft past the pin, but she simply rolled in the return to win the hole with a par.
“My putting has been the strongest part of my game,” said Berry. “Usually it’s my driving but I struggled little bit at the start of the week. But I felt I hit the ball better and better as the week went on.”
She last won this championship at Littlestone in 2010, but counts this as the sweeter win. “That’s not to take anything away from the girls I played then, it was a really good win. But the standard this week! I had to beat three people who played for England last year to get to the final.”
There was special praise for her husband and caddy, Geoff, who is the Bromborough club professional. “Geoff is a star,” she said “I do think two heads are better than one.”
Berry clinched her place in the final this morning after winning a tight match against senior international Jackie Foster (Bishops Stortford) on the 18th. In earlier matches she defeated internationals Karen Jobling (Richmond) and Sue Spencer (Whittington Heath) after beating Jane Sly (Mill Ride) in the first round.
Meanwhile Carver (Worthing) defeated Clarissa Bushell (West Sussex) 3/2 in an all-Sussex semi-final clash. Earlier, she beat Amanda Mayne (Saltford), Jan Harrison (Launceston) and Janette McWhirter (Appleby).
This was only Carver’s second appearance in the championship and she commented after the final: “I just didn’t get enough pars, but that takes nothing away from Caroline, she played very solidly.”
In the over 60s Ann Howard Trophy, Nottinghamshire’s Carol Wild successfully defended her title. She beat Sheree Dove-Wilde (Camberley Heath) by one hole.
“I am ecstatic, I can’t believe it” said Wild, who is the captain of Notts Ladies Golf Club. “I thought it would be tough and I felt the pressure coming into this, even though I’m playing well and my handicap has come down”
Click here for full scores in the championship Wendy Taylor Salver
Click here for full scores in the Ann Howard Trophy
Image copyright Leaderboard Photography
