Golf: Rachel Connor comes up on rails to win the Leveret Trophy

Apr 22 2008 by Richard Williamson, Liverpool Daily Post

RACHEL Connor overcame a high quality field to win the Leveret Trophy for the first time at Formby Ladies.

The Lancashire county player from Manchester Golf Club produced a patient performance in tricky conditions to run out the winner by just one shot.

And she received a special message of congratulations from Liverpool European Tour player Nick Dougherty after her victory. Connor is coached by Nick’s dad Roger.

“He was chuffed for me,” said Connor. “In truth I was not on my A game but I scored well by hitting plenty of iron shots under the wind. I had 10 birdies all told and as many bogeys which tells you how difficult the conditions were.”

Competitors had travelled to Formby from around the country to take part including entrants from South Wales, Bristol, Oxford, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Yorkshire and the Midlands. They were faced with a mixed bag of weather conditions on England’s Golf Coast.

While it stayed fair and the sun shone for the morning round, the strong, cold northerly wind showed how difficult the Formby Ladies course can be become.

In a field of 54 with the highest handicap being 5.7 the CSS rose by two shots to 74.

Katie Best (Sherwood Forest) dropped three shots to the turn, but then found her putting rhythm on the back nine.

She came back in an unequalled 32 for 71 gross – the only score all day on the leaderboard in red figures.

Samantha Round (Tadmarton Heath) was close behind with 72 followed by Rachel Connor (73) and the 13-year-old Elizabeth Mallett from Sutton Coldfield Ladies on 74.

In the afternoon, with 13 players within five shots of the leader, Formby staged a Grand national style finish with the lead changing hands on several occasions.

The wind had turned to the north west making the well-guarded greens all the more difficult to find and many approaches fell into the new bunkers.

Taking an early lead was the former British Champion, Janet Collingham, country member of Royal Birkdale club but whose home club is now Sherwood Forest. She carded an excellent 72 – three under the afternoon CSS of 75 – for a total of 150.

Alex Peters, the 14-year-old from Notts Ladies, threatened to overhaul that total, but dropped shots on the 14th and 17th saw her return a 74 to also finish on 150.

Hannah Barwood (Knowle) also returned a 74, but her total of 149 gave her the clubhouse lead. However she was left to rue a dropped a shot on the last.

Samantha Round was putting together her challenge for the Trophy and at one over par through 28 holes was in the driving seat. But an ugly triple bogey at the 11th unsettled her and more dropped shots on 12, 14 and 15 sent her back to Banbury with a rueful smile and a 77 for joint second place on 149.

The course was now clear for the 17-year-old Connor to canter home with a 75 for a winning scratch aggregate of 148.

Reflecting on her victory, the teenager said was very proud to win the Leveret after years of coming close and declared the event as a great opener to the domestic amateur season.

“The course is presented in such great condition and the event is always very well planned,“ added the England girl international before revealing she expects to be back on Merseyside next year to defender her title.

It is Connor’s second success in a top scratch competition after she won the Royal Birkdale Scratch Trophy last season. She started this season by winning the Doherty-Jones Women’s Championship in Florida in January.

Next year’s Leveret Trophy is scheduled for March 28.

Leading scores: 148 Rachel Connor (Manchester) 73, 75; 149 Hannah Barwood (Knowle) 75, 74; Samantha Round (Tadmarton Heath) 72, 77; 150 Janet Collingham (Sherwood Forest) 78, 72; Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies) 76, 74; 151 Rebecca McGinley (Tyneside) 75, 76; 152 Kym Larratt (Kibworth) 76, 76; Keenan Ellis (Sunningdale) 76, 76; 153 Samantha Birks (Wolstanton) 77, 76; 154 Sian James (Bristol & Clifton) 78, 76; Laura Murray (Alford) 77, 77; Katie Best (Sherwood Forest) 71, 83