Edmond completes a dream return with championship win

Suffolk’s Fiona Edmond completed a dream return to golf when she became the English senior women’s amateur champion at her first attempt. Edmond (pictured) sealed the 2/1 win over Aileen Greenfield of Sussex when she holed a six-footer for par on the 17th at South Staffordshire Golf Club and said afterwards: “I’ve dreamed of having a 6ft putt for an English title and it’s amazing to have done that. I can’t believe this, I am so excited.”

It’s been a long road to the title and the Wendy Taylor Salver. Edmond (Ipswich) was the first woman to become a Cambridge Blue for golf and in the early 1990s she was both an England and GB&I international.

But her career was cut short by injury and ME, the long-term neurological condition – and then it was overtaken by the demands of six children and a business.  She gave up golf over two decades ago and only returned three years ago at the suggestion of one of her sons.

Having recently joined senior ranks she arrived at South Staffordshire on an exploratory mission. “I was coming to have a look, to see what it was like and what the standard was like. I wanted to put myself in a position to find out if I enjoyed this sort of competition again – and I’ve loved it.”

She qualified in sixth place and worked her way steadily through the match play, beating Lulu Housman (Wyke Ridge, Middlesex) by one hole in this morning’s semi-final.  Greenfield (Pyecombe, Suffolk) made her way into the final with a two up win over top seed Caroline Berry (Bromborough, Cheshire) in a low-scoring match.

The finalists traded blows over the opening holes and the fifth was the first hole to be won. Edmond claimed it when Greenfield three-putted and from then on she led in the match.

For Greenfield – who has just learned she needs a hip replacement – it means she’s now been runner-up in English senior championships three times. “I’m the bridesmaid again,” she said, but also pointed out that this is only her second full season of senior golf.

Image © Leaderboard Photography