Headingley GC course record lowered as Nicola Slater lifts Northern Girls’ crown with round of 66

Prize winners at the Northern Girls' championship at Headingley GC.

Cleckheaton’s Olivia Hamilton had put herself in prime position to lift the trophy - claimed last year by Hallamshire’s Holly Morgan - with a gross first round 71.

Hessle’s Abigail Smee recorded a 72 and Toni-Louise Naylor (Waterton Park) 73.

However, in the afternoon a stunning gross 66 by Cumbrian 15-year-old Natasha Slater, who plays off scratch, broke the course record by three shots.

A group of competitors carefully check their cards during the Northern Girls' championship at Headingley GC.

It not only helped secure her the Clement Bowl for the best gross 36-hole aggregate, but also the Kilburn Trophy for the 13 to under-16 year category.

Smee claimed the Chairman’s Trophy for 15 to under-18 years - also won last year by Morgan - and the Liverpool Trophy for under-14s (won by Naylor in 2014) went to Cumbria’s Caitlin Whitehead.

In the net competition, Northcliffe’s Olivia Pearson shot a 66 off 17 handicap.

Cumbria’s Harriet Barker (11 handicap) carded a 68 as did Victoria Turner (Delamere GC).

Cleckheaton's Megan Clarke went this close to a hole in one at the par-3 10th at Headingley GC.

The two team trophies, scratch and net, which involved the aggregate of the top three scores from each county, both went to Yorkshire with Cumbria second in each category.

The championship is open to girls under 18 years on January 1 on the year of the competition with a handicap below 20.

The recording team, lead by Carole Waights, did an excellent job tabling the results within 30 minutes of the last girls handing in their second round cards.

To read about how Headingley GC is bucking the trend of declining club memberships click HERE