Golf . . . from PEMBROKESHIRE SPORT

Brilliant Becky’s the

Welsh Ladies champ!

Haverfordwest Golf Club can rightly be very proud of Becky Harries because the talented golfer from the local club has just been crowned as the best lady golfer in Wales after winning the Welsh Ladies’ Championship at the Royal St Davids Course in Harlech, North Wales.

22 year old Becky had to compete in a 36-hole stroke play competition on Sunday to qualify for the last 16, who then competed in the 18-hole match play part of the event on Monday and Tuesday, which decided who was the outright victor and therefore Ladies’ Champion of Wales.

Becky has been playing golf for 11 years and actually reached the final four years ago but just missed out at Tenby – but made no mistake this year as she finished up with two par-four rounds in the qualifying competition to finish in top spot and serve notice of her intention to go one better this time.

Comfortable passage to the final

In the round of the last 16 on Monday, Becky overcame Laura Watson, who hails from Wales but now plays her golf in Oxford, by 5 & 3, and on the same day accounted for Kirsty O’Connor in the quarter finals, another ex-patriot resident in Manchester, this time by a 5 & 4 margin.

Tuesday saw the semi-finals take place in the morning and Becky beat Wrexham’s Jo Nicholas by 3 & 2 to set up an afternoon’s clash for the title with Amy Boulden, from Maesddu Golf Club, in Llandudno, in what turned out to be a titanic battle.

Both players showed what they could do in an absorbing clash and Becky needed to call upon all her resolve as she was one down at the 11th but battled hard to draw level and then pull ahead by a single shot going into the 18th hole. She held her nerve well and with both competitors scoring par it meant that a delighted Becky could be crowned as Welsh champion!

Great family support

She told PembrokeshireSport.co.uk that winning was the highlight of her career and what made it even better was the fact that older brother Simon was her excellent caddie and kept her calm at stressful times – with mum Linda and dad Stuart there to cheer her all the way.

It was the start of a busy time for Becky because she is due to compete in the West Wales Championships at Haverfordwest next Monday, a stroke play event over 27 holes, followed by a 36-hole tournament in Oxford soon after that!

PHOTOS

Becky Harries gets ready to drive.

Becky Harries lines up a putt.