Yorkshire teenager Nicola Slater clinches the English Women’s Open Match Play Championship title in 3&2 win at Kirby Muxloe.
Yorkshire teenager Nicola Slater completed the best five days of her golfing life so far when she won the English Women’s Open Match Play Championship at Kirby Muxloe, Leicestershire.
Slater clinched the trophy with a 3&2 win in the final over Surrey’s Sammy Fuller from Roehampton. It’s a first individual national title for the Lindrick player, adding to the prestigious Bridget Jackson Bowl which she won by five shots last Tuesday.
Fresh from that win, the 18-year old was able to carry that form into this week's championship, tying for second in qualifying and steadily working her way through the knockout stages.
Slater, a member of the England Golf national girls’ squad, defeated Lois Lau of France in the first round, before taking on her toughest match of the week, against the host club’s Jessica Bailey.
"It was a very tight match," said Slater, who sealed a win on the last hole.
In this morning’s semi-final against Trentham’s Emily Brennan, Slater was down early on. She battled back to all square after 10, only to again drop two behind. But once more she fought back, helped by a birdie on the 15th, and closed out the game on the 17th.
In the final against Fuller, she set off at a blistering pace – to her own surprise.
"I don’t usually get off to a good start in match play, I tend to be down to start with."
Not today. Slater was 3-under par and six up after 12 holes, before withstanding a fightback from Fuller, who won three holes in a row. But Slater settled herself with a winning birdie on the 16th to claim her title.
Slater, who was in Yorkshire’s winning team at last year’s English Women’s County Finals, will now head to the English Women’s Amateur Championship at Wilmslow, Cheshire, which starts on 17 July.
For a full list of the results from the English Women’s Open Match Play Championship please click here
Suzanne Corcoran Retains Seniors Champion Title READ MORE
