Foster completes Senior Women's sweep of titles

Jackie Foster almost missed the cut on Wednesday evening, but an unfortunate triple-bogey on the 18th hole for Maggie Lowe (Hankley Common) saw Foster sneak into the match play stages as the final 16th seed.

With the unenviable task of facing number-one seed Emma Brown (Malton & Norton), who led the stroke play stages by a whopping seven shots, Foster produced a stunning front-nine with three birdies to win 3&2 before seeing off Karen Jobling (Richmond, Yorks) and Sarah Naden (The Wilmslow) to make the final, where she beat Caroline Berry 3&2 to lift the Wendy Taylor Salver.

Foster said: “On Wednesday evening, I didn’t quite have my bags packed but I was thinking I’ve just missed the cut and I should have played better, but I scraped in as 16th qualifier. If there was a turning point in the week, that was certainly it! I felt like I had nothing to lose so each match was a bonus.

“Caroline and I have met each other many times and usually I know she’s a great putter, so I was expecting everything to go in, but thankfully most of mine went in. It’s the first time I’ve made the final and to win it is amazing. I’ll be celebrating with a long drive home and probably a curry tomorrow night!”

Foster has now won all of the top senior events, including the Senior Women's Stroke Play in 2016 and 2017, the Senior Women's County Champion of Champions in 2021 and The R&A Senior Women's Amateur in 2023 at Woodhall Spa.

Meanwhile, Sheree Dove-Wilde won the Ann Howard Trophy (over 60s) for the second time, after winning in 2021, as she defeated Angela Jones 3&2 on Friday morning.

Wendy Taylor Salver: Semi-finals & final

In the semi-finals, Jackie Foster found herself 3-up through seven thanks to solid play from tee-to-green before a blip on eight meant there were two holes in it at the turn. The back-nine started with a birdie-fest as the 10th was halved in 4s before Foster’s 2 on 11, and she stiffed her approach close on 13. A superb up-and-down on 14 helped her go 4-up before seeing out a 4&3 win to make the final.

Caroline Berry (Bromborough) and Tracey Williamson (Sheringham) went to the 18th hole in a thriller. The 3rd was halved in birdies before Berry hit water on 7 for Williamson to edge ahead. Another birdie on 10 saw Williamson back in front before Berry stuck one close on 11 to bring it back to all-square. Berry’s birdie on 14 brought it back level again before she won 16 and despite hitting a fairway bunker on 18, she recovered tremendously while Williamson hit a greenside bunker, finally ending a great match 2-up to Berry.

In the final, Foster got off to a wonderful start after eagling the 3rd with a 20-foot putt and went 2-up after parring the 5th. Her approach on the 6th hit a ditch and despite a penalty shot, she made a tremendous up-and-down to halve the hole. Berry did have several chances to capitalise on Foster’s mistakes, as the latter hit provisionals on 10 and 12, but Berry was unable to make it count on and around the green.

Foster came close to an ace on the 11th for a tap-in birdie but her wayward tee shot and second shot on 12 saw Berry claw one back. Foster’s short game helped her win 13 before they halved the next three holes as she saw out a 3&2 victory.

Ann Howard Trophy: Final

Sheree Dove-Wilde (Camberley Heath) won the Ann Howard Trophy (over 60s) for a second time, after defeating Angela Jones (Canterbury) 3&2.

Jones birdied the 1st but Dove-Wilde won the next four holes, thanks to birdies on two and five. She was 4-up through 10 but was pegged back by three Jones pars as there was just one shot in it after 14. However, the 65-year-old saw out the match at York, her second Ann Howard Trophy triumph, after winning in 2021 at Market Rasen Golf Club.

She said: “It was very exciting. It was great to win it a second time so I’m very pleased. The first three rounds, to be in the 70s, I was really proud of myself and that stands out for me. Taking the age into consideration, I’m pleased to have survived five days of golf! I haven’t played 36 holes since this competition last year, so playing 54 holes, then 36 on Thursday and 18 today, I’m absolutely shattered.

“I’ll be celebrating with a long lie-down first! Then I’ll be celebrating with the girls back home with a bottle or two of bubbly. They’ve all been on the WhatsApp and they’ll all be very pleased!"

Dove-Wilde reached the final after a tense 1-up win over Clare MacLeod in the semi-final, where she led for the first time in the match with a four-foot putt on the very last hole. She added: “I was just trying to stay in there. It’s never over till it’s over. I was mentally drained when I sunk that putt!”

In the final, despite being pegged back to just 1-up with four holes to go, she revealed: “I told myself to just keep doing what I’d been doing, nice and steady – fairways, green and roll the putt up. Don’t do anything silly!”

Check out all the scores here.