Northern Championship Report - 2024

Lancashire hosted the 2024 Northern Championship at Preston Golf Club

Our thanks go to Lancashire County Captain Jeanette Williams and her team for such a fantastic event. Thanks also to Preston Golf Club Members. Preston Golf Club Ladies Captain Gill Moore (ably assisted by Club Member Penny Beckett) with her wonderful members both ladies and gentlemen were so welcoming and had everything under control! A Challenging Week! We had our challenges with the weather but I am sure that everyone will agree that the Lancashire Committee made a swift and decisive decision about how to proceed which I think all the competitors appreciated. In particular I would like to thanks the Greens Staff for presenting the course so well and “somehow” managing to keep it open and playable!

Qualifying Round The weather for the qualifying round was perfect and we were rewarded with some great scores. The best gross score of the day was from Cath Rawthore (Cheshire) with a splendid 75 gross closely followed by many others. Congratulations also to Rosie Waller (Cumbria) who had the best nett score with a superb 71 on a card play off. The cut for the matchplay came at gross 82.

Some great matches …despite the rain!

On Day 2 we were greeted with an absolute downpour! Thank you to all the competitors who completed their first round matches in terrible conditions a number going to the 18th hole and beyond! We then made the difficult decision to abandon the afternoon matches and “hopefully” return the next day. It was a miracle that the course was both open and playable the following day after heavy rain overnight. There were some very close matches in the morning which resulted in Cath Rawthore and Caroline Berry ( Cheshire) going through to the first semi-final. Lucy Ashworth (Durham) and defending Champion Karen Jobling (Yorkshire) were drawn in the second semi-final. There was some stunning and exciting golf in the semi-finals both matches finishing on the 18th hole.

We are now left with the prospect of an exciting final between Cath and Lucy on a date still to be agreed. I hope as many members of the Association as possible will be able to come watch and support them in what promises to be a great match. On a final note I would also like to congratulate Clare Seddon (Lancashire) on her win in the Second flight in a closely fought match with Brenda Ewbank (Cumbria)