Emily Price wins English women’s stroke play championship

Girl international Emily Price won the English women’s stroke play championship by two shots today after an exciting, see-sawing final round at Bristol and Clifton Golf Club.

The 16-year-old from Cleobury Mortimer Golf Club in Worcestershire  birdied the last to finish on seven-under par for the championship, two ahead of Cornwall’s Georgia Price.

“It is just unbelievable,” said Price, who was three shots back with a round to play. “It means a massive amount to win, this is almost my last event of the season and to win means so, so much.”

She’s one of the youngest winners of this title, following Charley Hull who was 15 when she triumphed five years ago.

Price started the championship steadily with an opening round of one-over par 74, then followed up with an excellent six-under 67, which moved her into contention and set up a title battle with her namesake, Georgia Price from Bude & North Conrwall.

Georgia led by two at the halfway stage after returning a superb second round score of eight-under 65. After she shot two-under 71 in this morning’s third round to Emily’s 72 there were three strokes separating the two Prices, while Cornwall’s Emily Toy was sandwiched between them.

As the final round got underway Toy, the 2015 English girls’ champion from Carlyon Bay, dropped out of the title race – but the battle was on between the Prices.

Emily narrowed the gap on the first by trading a birdie to Georgia’s bogey and she moved into the lead after eagling the long third. Her play was notable over the opening holes for her sure touch on the greens, but it temporarily deserted her on the 9th and 10th and she dropped two shots behind Georgia, who was playing very steadily.

But now it was the Cornish player who faltered. She bogeyed the 11th after her approach went through the green and down the bank, then suffered a four-putt nightmare on the par three 13th, before another bogey on 14. Emily, meanwhile played par golf and moved two ahead going into the closing holes, maintaining the margin when both players birdied the last.

“I played pretty solid this morning and still came in three behind,” said Emily. “But I’m up for a little bit of a fight to try to come out on top. I played the first few holes really well, then had a rough couple of holes, but it all came down to mental focus and hitting fairways and greens.” 

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