Sarah Naden (The Wilmslow) was crowned champion of the English Senior Women's Amateur Championship at The Nottinghamshire Golf Club on Friday.
Naden overcame Debbie Richards and Jackie Ewing on the final day to lift the Wendy Taylor Salver.
Naden said: "It's surreal to be champion. I think the key today was staying calm as I lost my swing and in the past I would've let that get to me, but I've worked hard over the winter on a process. I knew that if I followed that process, I'd come through the other end and thankfully I did.
"I carded two right on a couple of tricky holes and wasn't sure if it'd be my day and my caddy reminded me to stick with the process and I hit a shot from out the trees to 15 feet, and that's when I knew I was back on track!
"I'm going to be celebrating this weekend by buying a house actually, so it's going to be a very expensive one! But I'm sure there'll be a couple of bottles of bubbly as well."
In the morning semi-finals, Jackie Ewing (Links) chipped in from the back of the testing par-4 3rd hole before opponent Emma Brown (Malton & Norton) replied with a birdie to win the par-5 4th. After winning the 5th, Ewing was never behind in the match and rolled in a 20-foot putt for birdie on 14.
1-up down the last, Brown was out of position but recovered well for a good par, while Ewing held her nerve with a tricky five-foot par putt downhill to win 1-up and reach the final.
Naden beat Richards (Burhill) thanks to a solid putting display. Despite nearly being in the ditch on the 1st, she recovered for par to halve the hole and a wicked bounce cost Richards on the 8th.
Richards bounced back to land an 18-footer for birdie on 9 but Naden’s iron play and putting proved the difference, as she sealed a 5&4 win.
Despite the wind, the sun shone brightly for the final and it was Naden who struck the early blows to go 2-up through 6, but Ewing battled back to make it all-square at the turn.
Naden produced a tremendous recovery shot from by the bushes to make par and win the 10th but Ewing bounced back again as she stiffed one close to birdie the 12th.
Both then drove the edge of the 15th but Naden crucially got up-and-down for birdie to go 2-up and she sealed a 2&1 victory with a tap-in par on 17.
Naden said: "It's surreal to be champion. I think the key today was staying calm as I lost my swing and in the past I would've let that get to me, but I've worked hard over the winter on a process. I knew that if I followed that process, I'd come through the other end and thankfully I did.
"I carded two right on a couple of tricky holes and wasn't sure if it'd be my day and my caddy reminded me to stick with the process and I hit a shot from out the trees to 15 feet, and that's when I knew I was back on track!
"I'm going to be celebrating this weekend by buying a house actually, so it's going to be a very expensive one! But I'm sure there'll be a couple of bottles of bubbly as well."
In the morning semi-finals, Jackie Ewing (Links) chipped in from the back of the testing par-4 3rd hole before opponent Emma Brown (Malton & Norton) replied with a birdie to win the par-5 4th. After winning the 5th, Ewing was never behind in the match and rolled in a 20-foot putt for birdie on 14.
1-up down the last, Brown was out of position but recovered well for a good par, while Ewing held her nerve with a tricky five-foot par putt downhill to win 1-up and reach the final.
Naden beat Richards (Burhill) thanks to a solid putting display. Despite nearly being in the ditch on the 1st, she recovered for par to halve the hole and a wicked bounce cost Richards on the 8th.
Richards bounced back to land an 18-footer for birdie on 9 but Naden’s iron play and putting proved the difference, as she sealed a 5&4 win.
Despite the wind, the sun shone brightly for the final and it was Naden who struck the early blows to go 2-up through 6, but Ewing battled back to make it all-square at the turn.
Naden produced a tremendous recovery shot from by the bushes to make par and win the 10th but Ewing bounced back again as she stiffed one close to birdie the 12th.
Both then drove the edge of the 15th but Naden crucially got up-and-down for birdie to go 2-up and she sealed a 2&1 victory with a tap-in par on 17.
ENDS
Contact details:
Tom Vale, Press & Media Manager
Tel: 07912 240850
Email: tom.vale@englandgolf.org
www.englandgolf.org
Contact details:
Tom Vale, Press & Media Manager
Tel: 07912 240850
Email: tom.vale@englandgolf.org
www.englandgolf.org