New mum Lauren lifts County Championship

NEWPORT super mum Lauren Hillier added another Monmouthshire Ladies County Championship to her collection just 10 weeks after giving birth to new son Milo.

Hillier, who had won the title several times as Lauren Diggle, beat two former champions in the shape of Danielle Cobley and Jessica Evans on her way to lifting the trophy with a 7&6 thumping of the latter at St. Mellons.

Hillier and runner-up Evans had been the form players in the silver division qualifying round as they carded the best gross scores to start the matchplay stages as the two top seeds.

And there was no stopping Hillier as she beat Llanwern’s Ann Harrison in the last 16 before easing past Dewstow’s Patricia Fernon in the quarters. Cobley, the 2010 champion, was dispatched in the last four then Newport clubmate and defending champion Evans was seen off in the final.

Something positive did come out of the competition for Fernon as she, Catherine Nutley, Deborah Hudson and Diane Pollard won the team trophy – the Paton Cup – for Dewstow. It was the second year in succession that a Dewstow quartet had claimed the crown.

The bronze division championship was won by Woodlake Park’s Janet Cavaciuti with a 2&1 victory against Newport’s Rosemary Ford.

Llanwern’s Jack Davidson and former Dewstow member Joshua Davies, who now plays at the Celtic Manor, were part of the Wales U15/16 team that lost 10.5-7.5 to Yorkshire at Wrexham.

There were mixed fortunes for both players as Davidson won his foursomes match alongside Charlie Spencer-White before coasting to a 4&3 victory over Humza Rafique in the singles. However, Davies lost his two games, the latter to Calum Hey.

Wales Boys, who included Greenmeadow’s Otto Mand and St Pierre’s Oliver Mottram, also suffered defeat, this time at Cardigan against a strong Ireland team.

However, Mand and Mottram stood up to the Irish assault and although Wales lost the tie 13-7, the two Gwent players contributed three-and-a-half points to the total. Mand won his foursomes and one of his two singles while Mottram secured a point in the foursomes and a half in the singles.

Meanwhile, Mand was the best-placed of the Gwent contingent at last weekend’s Duncan Putter, a tournament which was eventually shared by Welshmen Luke Thomas and Ben Westgate.

A four-round total of 292 saw Mand finish in a tie for 14^th while Mottram and St Pierre clubmate Richard Bentham were down the leader board in 34^th and 41^st respectively. Newport’s Joe Vickery missed out on key Welsh Order of Merit points by failing to make the cut.

Results

Monmouth

April Medal; (div one) 1. A. Morgan 63, 2. B. Kennedy 65, 3. A. Spary 66, (div two) 1. M. Pryce 66, 2. C. Jenkins 71, 3. I. Jenkins 73

Pontypool

Hubert Watkins Cup & Addawint Qualifier; 1. S. Price & M. Price 63, 2. C. Williams & P. Gabriel 64, 3. H. Harris & P. Davies 64, 4. M. Metcalfe & D. O’Brien 64

Ladies Bank Holiday Medal; 1. A. Bridges net 77, 2. P. Roberts 85

Welsh Team Handicap Qualifier; (0-12 Hcp) 1. N. Blandford net 64, 2. M. Leighton 69, 3. A. Ross 69, (13-18 Hcp) 1. A. Long 65, 2. D. O’Brien 69, 3. R. Tuck 69, (19-28 Hcp) 1. M. Williams 61, 2. D. Davies 68, 3. N. Taylor 69