After the Ladies’ Team succombed on the final day of the Home Internationals at Irvine and MCLGA lost out, by the narrowest of margins, on a countback in the County Finals at Baberton, Pamela Williamson’s team, which included MCLGA members, Fiona de Vries, Noreen Fenton and Fiona Hunter, with Janet Wake as Manager, held on, in style, at Newport Golf Club, Wales to maintain their 100% record and win the Senior Women’s Home International Matches and the Sue Johnson Trophy for the first time in the 6 year history of the competition.
On Day 1, Scotland met Ireland and, having reached lunch 2-1 up after the morning foursomes, continued their great display in the afternoon, taking the match by 5.5-2.5. Fiona Hunter, who lost her morning foursomes, sat out the afternoon singles along with Noreen Fenton who, with Fiona de Vries, had recorded a 3&2 victory. Fiona kept up her 100% record in the afternoon with another 3&2 victory in the singles.
Day 2 brought Scotland against England, a team they had never beaten at this level before, but more of the same was to follow. Again a 2-1 lead was set at lunchtime with Fiona Hunter narrowly losing her foursomes, by virtue of the opposition holing from 10ft on the final green, and the successful duo of Noreen Fenton and Fiona de Vries bringing home a point with another 3&2 victory. In a very tight, nail biting afternoon, the singles matches were shared 2.5-2.5, giving Scotland the overall lead of 4.5-3.5 which they were looking for. With birdies and eagles flying around everywhere (16 birdies and 1 eagle were recorded between the two teams), Scotland lost the first singles match but moved ahead again after recording victories in the second and third matches, with Fiona de Vries again posting an ever popular 3&2 victory. The fourth match was lost with the final game being halved but not before Moira Thomson (East Lothian) put up a great fight, winning the 15th and 16th to square her match and halving 17 and 18 to keep it that way and give Scotland the necessary win.
So all was set. The hard work almost done. Scotland had 2 wins out of 2 and all that was needed was to face defending Champions, Wales, on their home soil and record a halved match! Sound familiar?
The morning foursomes started the excitement. Fiona Hunter holed from a bunker at the 16th to level their match before halving the 17th and 18th holes and give Scotland their first half point of the day. In the final foursomes, Noreen Fenton and Fiona de Vries, by now fed up with 3&2 victories, increased their winning margin and recorded a 4&2 victory to give Scotland a 2.5-0.5 lead at lunchtime. Scotland were left needing 1.5 points from the singles line up for a draw and 2 points for a win, both outcomes securing them the Sue Johnson Trophy. Having won the first of the singles matches, the Scots lost the second match before Fiona de Vries, playing in the third game, came to the fore. Her Welsh opponent was not sure what had hit her as Fiona went 6 up after 11 holes. She then lost the the 14th to a birdie but that left her dormie 4 up and one more hole was all that was needed. Again making her 3&2 score lines redundant, Fiona won the 15th and the match by 5&3, maintaining her unbeaten run. Scotland then secured the 4th game but lost the 5th to make the overall score 5.5-2.5.
Many congratulations to Pamela Williamson, Janet Wake and the whole of the Scotland Senior Womens’ Home International Team. A fantastic result to not only win the Sue Johnson Trophy for the first time in the six year history but to win it in such style. The gremlins are now, hopefully, well and truely buried in Scotland!