Another early start, another scorcher of a day with shorts, sunscreen and shades! Players arrived fresh and ready to play.
Alison McBride (Dalmahoy) and Louise Fraser (Kingsknowe) led the field with a close encounter all the way. Louise was 2up after 6 holes but back to back birdies at 8 and 9 from Alison brought the game all square at the turn. Louise led early in the second half and retained her lead to find a place in the Final. Karen Ferguson-Snedden (Mortonhall) was 2 up early on against Rachael Livingstone (Baberton) but Rachael fought back. The game was nip and tuck until Rachael closed out the match with birdies at 16 and 17 to win her place in the Final. Both matches finished 2/1. In the B section Jacky Burnett (Broomieknowe) got off to a great start against Fiona Findlay (Lochend) putting her opponent under pressure and going 2 up. Fiona fought back and excitement continued up the 18th hole where Fiona holed her putt to win the match. Celia MacIntyre (Craigmillar Park) and Jane MacDonald (Merchants) was another close match with no more than 1 hole in it until Jane closed the match out 3/2.
In the Championship Final Louise got off to a head start after 2 holes but Rachael was hot on her heels and got it back to 1 hole after the 8th. Louise made birdie at 9, eagle at 10 and par at 11 to get a few more holes under her belt. Rachael made Louise concentrate hard to the end where the match finished at the 16th hole. Captain Louise Fraser won the County Championship.
The B Final between Jane and Fiona was played in great humour and was another close run affair. Jane pulled slightly away at the outset but after Fiona pitched in at the 4th her ship was steadied and it was very much a story of all square and one up and so on as the game progressed. Jane went 1 ahead on the 16th only to be pegged back on the 17th when they acquired the gallery from the Main Championship which had just finished. They halved the 18th and started off down the 19th. That replicated their play of it at the outset with Fiona’s shot finding the fairway bunker costing her a shot. Jane went on to triumph as B champion.
Thanks again to Norma our President who started all players on time, to Angela our Secretary for recording the scores and Championship photography, Gail our Vice Captain for refereeing the B Final and Margaret Fergusson (Murrayfield) for refereeing the Main Final. Thanks to Dalmahoy G&CC for hosting the Spring Meeting/Championship Qualifier on Monday 15th April and for hosting the knock out stages over Easter Weekend.
Louise Fraser is the fifth Captain of Midlothian to win the County Championship during a term in office. The first Captain to achieve this was Mrs JB Watson in 1923, Miss MJ Wood in 1925/26, Miss CM Park in 1935/36 and Miss M Nicol in 1937. According to our records Miss CM Park won the Championship a total of 7 times and presented the CM Park Rosebowl for the Bronze Scratch winner in the Spring Meeting. Well done Louise on this achievement.
To view the Championship Gallery, thanks to Angela, please click here.. Championships 2019