Burford at its best for County, Mid-Silver and Bronze Championships

02 June, 2025

Day One

On 30 May 2025, 51 players from across the County headed to Burford GC to compete in Day One’s Stroke Play Qualifiers. Those in the scratch Championship were to play morning and afternoon rounds, with mid-silver and bronze players following on for their 18-hole qualifier. With first tees from 8.30am and final rounds concluding after 7pm, it was to be a full day of glorious golf.

And glorious it was indeed. The course was presented in fantastic condition. With the fairways running well after the prolonged dry spell, and also narrow and tree-lined, accuracy was the name of the game. Some challenging pins (hole 11, take a bow) with moderately fast and very true greens provided a stern test of technique and nerves all day.

Scratch County Championship

The highlight of the scratch tournament was the 36 hole gross score of 142 by returning county golfer Laura Watkins (Bicester GC), putting her head and shoulders above the rest of the field. Veterans Caroline Johnson (Tadmarton Heath) and Kate Evans (Frilford Heath) were in 2nd and 3rd, and relative county newcomer Sarah Clarke (Hadden Hill) came 4th. The other quarter-finalists for the match play round of the tournament to be played early the following morning were teenager Phoebe Simons (Tadmarton Heath), Megan Bishop (The Wychwood and Bethel Pilots, Indiana), county champs debutante Mandy Nall (Huntercombe) and 2024 Oxfordshire Junior Captain Elizabeth Ball (Frilford Heath). Four players would then move onto the semi-finals on Saturday afternoon.

Mid-Silver and Bronze Championships

The Mid-Silver and Bronze Championships were equally strongly contested with more below handicap scores being posted. These divisions moved straight to Saturday afternoon semi-finals with junior Hajira Marfleet (Frilford Heath) winning the mid-silver division, and Denise Santilli (Witney Lakes) winning in bronze.

Running within the framework of the entire Championships were the Senior and Junior Competitions. Mandy Nall (Huntercombe GC) took the senior’s cup on count back from Kate Evans (Frilford Heath). The Junior Cup went to Phoebe Simons (Tadmarton Heath). The Lucy Davies trophy was awarded to the best nett after 36 holes – Laura Watkins ( Bicester GC). The silver medal for the best nett in the mid-silver after 18 holes went to Hajira Marfleet (Frilford Heath) and the Bronze medal to Geraldine Smith ( Tadmarton Heath).

Day Two

Scratch Championship Quarter Finals

Saturday dawned slightly overcast, but with no rain and only gentle winds in the forecast, the 8 quarter finalists in the scratch championship set off once again down the fairways of Burford.

The quarter final matches for the Champs were superb, with no hint that this was the third round in 24 hours. All square on the 18th tee, Elizabeth Ball overcame Laura Watkins with a birdie on the 18th green to seal the win. An exceptionally tight match between Caroline Johnson and Mandy Nall needed a 19th hole birdie from Johnson to claim the victory.

In the third match, defending county champion Kate Evans displayed all her fighting qualities and determination, not to mention long range putting prowess, to claim the win over Megan Bishop on the 18th green. In the fourth quarter final, Phoebe Simons started fast with a birdie on the par 5 1st. Sarah Clarke couldn't quite reproduce her playing level of day one, and Simons raced to a 4 hole lead after 5. Clarke fought back to be 1 down at the turn, but Simons held strong and never relinquished the lead, running out the winner by 3&2.

The standard to that point had been nothing short of spectacular, and in addition to delightful golfing performances, the respect and quality of camaraderie shown by all golfers was an absolute joy to watch. Golf as it should be played.

Friends and rivals in action - Phoebe Simons and Elizabeth Ball in the semi-final

Semi-Finals, Saturday afternoon

The afternoon offered us 6 semi-finals across all divisions and with all competitors announced on the tee and given equally warm receptions by watching players and supporters. In the Championships, Elizabeth Ball (Frilford Heath) pipped Phoebe Simons 2 up (after nip and tuck golf, with halves in birdies on 15, and sublime shots to 15 feet on the following par 3), and Evans took the victory against Caroline Johnson (Tadmarton Heath).

The Mid-Silver semi-finals saw strong performances by Marfleet (Frilford Heath) and Susan White (North Oxford). In the Bronze division, the battles continued where Jenny Nunneley (Tadmarton Heath) and Raffaella McCann (Frilford Heath) took the wins.

Burford looking glorious in the May sunshine

Final Day

With an early afternoon tee time, all six finalists were back. Remarkable to think that in the Championship and Mid-Silver division last year’s victors, Evans and White, were defending their titles. The stakes were a little higher, and competitors chose to use caddies for the first time in the knockout stages. The atmosphere on the tee was again befitting the conclusion to this three-day festival of women’s golf.

Scratch Championship Final

The first final of the day saw 2024 County Champion Kate Evans take on 2024 Junior Captain Elizabeth Ball, starting at just after 1:30pm. After a closely contested front 9, the players were all square on the 10th tee. Trading in pars on a windy Sunday, Evans and Ball remained all square on the 12th tee.

In front of the walking gallery, Ball played steady golf through the short downhill par 4 13th hole, and the gently right-to-left curving par 4 14th hole to open up a 2up lead. Kate Evans replied with a birdie 2 on the par 3 15th, and also won the par 4 16th hole. A/S on the 17th tee. On the long par 5 17th, Ball drained a 25 foot putt for birdie to go 1up with one hole to play. 

With the honour on the 18th, Ball hit a good drive, but the ball drifted left and bounced further left towards the OOB hedge while Evans' drive found the bunker. Ball's provisional second drive finished 20 yards from the front of green, but her first ball was out of bounds. Evans escaped the bunker to put her level with Ball's third. Cut to the green, and Evans showed nerves of steel to hole a 20 foot downhill putt to take the match to extra holes. 

Both players made par on the 19th (par 5 1st) hole, with Ball's birdie putt lipping out. On the par 3 20th hole, Ball sank a par to take the title in a wonderful final, an amazing display of matchplay golf from both players. 

Mid-Silver Final

In the mid-silver division, the youthful exuberance of Marfleet proved to be too strong for the defending champion. White, who played near perfect golf the day before, found the greens a challenge in the final. At only 10 years old, and with a handicap index now dropped to 11, in Marfleet we have a player to watch in the future.

Bronze Final

The Bronze final was a remarkable tussle with some extremely good golf played. After 9 holes, McCann was four up on Nunneley, only to be pulled back to all square on successive holes, and then to fall one behind. However, she regrouped to take the win 2&1.

The atmosphere and buzz in the Club House at Burford for all 3 days of the Championships was fantastic. OLCGA is so appreciative of everything Burford GC, and its ladies' section, did to allow us to put on this event, including allowing the final presentations to take place in the Board Room with all 3 winners, and losing finalists receiving the plaudits they deserved.