Rotherham's Winning excels in defeat at Royal Mid Surrey

ROTHERHAM'S Olivia Winning produced some stunning play in her English women's open match play semi-final, but was unable to get the better of her national team-mate Lizzie Prior (Burhill) at Royal Mid Surrey.
Berkshires Cara Gainer with the English womens open match play trophy (Picture: Leaderboard Photography).Berkshires Cara Gainer with the English womens open match play trophy (Picture: Leaderboard Photography).
Berkshires Cara Gainer with the English womens open match play trophy (Picture: Leaderboard Photography).

Winning had knocked out the top seed Hannah Screen (Berkhamsted) after being the 16th and final qualifier for the match play stages following two rounds of stroke play.

In the quarter-finals, the Yorkshirewoman defeated England Under-16 international Mimi Rhodes (Burnham & Berrow) with the aid of six birdies.

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Her low scoring continued in the last-four meeting with Prior, but she found her scores being matched and, on occasion, bettered.

“It was a fun week down in Surrey,” said Winning on Instagram. “I just scraped my way into top 16, but played some great golf in the match play stages.

“Beat the leading qualifier in the first round, (had a) cheeky 5&4 win in round two then lost on 17th in the semi-final after the best match with Lizzie.

“Halving holes in birdies, both making eagles to win holes against birdies, the golf was unreal. Gutted to have lost, but that match was so much fun.”

In the final, Prior was beaten by Berkshire’s Cara Gainer 3&2.

Gainer had defeated Sophie Newlove (Beeston Fields) by the same score in the semi-finals.

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