County Week

22nd – 26th June 2009

Oxfordshire Come Second In Midlands South County Week

Oxfordshire First Team Squad had their best result for many years in County Week held at Ladbroke Park Golf Club, near Solihull last week, after coming second. Unfortunately they met the eventual winners Warwickshire, and current holders of the trophy playing on their home turf, on their first day of this match play competition. Warwickshire powered their way to winning the morning foursomes and the afternoon singles quite conclusively with Oxfordshire only gaining 1 ½ a points at the hands of Samantha Round (Tadmarton) and Justine Voss (Henley) in the morning foursomes and Lauren Jupp (Studley Wood) in the afternoon’s singles when she beat Elizabeth Haycock 3/1. Overall match result Oxon 1 ½ points Warwickshire 7 ½ points.

However, on day 2 Oxon played Bucks and only lost two matches. In the morning foursomes Jane Binning (Frilford) and KatherineO’Connor (Tadmarton) had a 2/1 victory; Sam Round and Tilly Holder (whilst still playing for Oxon her home Club is Woburn) had a very comfortable 6/4 win and Lauren Jupp (Studley) and Annie Gowing (Frilford) won 3/1. In the afternoon’s singles Laura Watkins (Bicester) played her first match and achieved a half and Katherine won 5/3, Tilly 3/2, Lauren 2/1. Overall match result Oxon 6 ½ Bucks 2 ½ .

Day 3 Northamptonshire. Another terrific start to the day, the girls namely Katherine & Lauren, Sam & Tilly, Jane & Justine, played par golf which resulted in a 3/0 victory in the foursomes. The afternoon’s singles were played very competitively and had some very close results. The first 3 players Katherine, Jane and Tilly won their matches and Lauren came in with a half. Overall match result Oxon 6 ½ Northamptonshire 2 ½.

Day 4 Worcestershire & Herefordshire. Keeping the same pairings as the previous day’s foursomes match, Oxon was victorious in all three matches. This put Oxon in a good lead going into the afternoon’s singles when Tilly Holder won Oxon’s first point with a 4/3 victory, closely followed by Jane winning 4 &2. However, the rest of the team were determined and gave us a 5/1 victory in the afternoon. Gemma Clements from Studley made her rookie appearance for the County and won her match 3 & 1.
Overall match result Oxon 8 points Wocestershire & Herefordshire 1

Day 5 Berkshire – Oxon’s old adversaries!
Oxon had a good start keeping to the same foursome pairings, Katherine and Lauren winning the first match 3/2. Berkshire took the second and just as the third match was on the 18th 1-up, heavy rain fell and within minutes the green was flooded, and the klaxon went to suspend play. The morning matches could not be completed before the start of the afternoon tee times, therefore under the rules of the competition set by the EWGA all unfinished matches are deemed halved. This meant Oxon went into the singles with 1 ½ points and Berkshire 1 ½ points. Katherine and Jane stamped their authority on the first two singles matches, winning convincingly by 5/4..Sam halved her match and Laura Watkins sank a put to halve her match, which meant Oxon won the singles and the overall match 4 ½ to Berkshire’s 3 ½.

Jayne Laurie from Chipping Norton G C who is County Captain said,”The overall result for Oxfordshire this year in County Week is second place. This is the first time Oxfordshire has finished so well for a number of years. Credit must be given to the whole team: Jane Binning, Frilford, Katherine O’Connor, Tadmarton, Sam Round OLCGA Affiliated, Tilly Holder OLCGA Affiliated, Lauren Jupp, Studley, Annie Gowing, Frilford, Justine Voss, Henley, Laura Watkins, Bicester, Gemma Clements, Studey. and Abi Laker, Burford, for their determination, never to giving up at any stage in a match and their fabulous golf.”