Sammie Giles wins English Women's Open Amateur

August 6, 2015 | by England Golf

(Photo courtesy of England Golf)

Cornwall’s Sammie Giles holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the last hole to clinch a one-shot win

LANCASHIRE, England — Cornwall’s Sammie Giles holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the last hole to clinch a one-shot win in the English Women’s Open Stroke Play Championship at St. Annes Old Links in Lancashire. She pipped Yorkshire’s Rochelle Morris who birdied the last two holes in a thrilling finale to the event – and who has now been runner-up in both English women’s championships this year. Giles, 20, and Morris shared the halfway lead and battled throughout 36 holes today to decide the destination of the trophy. Giles shot one-under 71 and 73 for a one-over total, while Morris returned 73 72 and finished a stroke behind. The win gives Giles her second national title, following her success in last year’s English mid-amateur championship. “That’s pretty cool!” she said. “The mid-amateur was really big for me, especially as I beat Sarah-Jane (Boyd, a fellow Cornwall player). “But this is bigger, especially as my old coach, Laura Eastwood (now Hendrikson) won this event on this course 10 years ago – so it’s really special to win it here.” When the two players set out this afternoon Giles held a two-shot lead over Morris and the last round turned into a match play situation. The momentum swung to and fro, but Giles was always in front and had a four shot lead after six holes. But her lead was cut to one after she bogeyed nine and 10, which Morris birdied,. Again Giles built up an advantage and crucially birdied the 14th to be three ahead. “I really needed that and I think it put a lot of pressure on Rochelle,” she said. However, Morris kept working away at the deficit. She parred the 15th, which Giles bogeyed, and birdied the long 17th to be just one behind. On the 18th, a par five, both players were just short of the green in two. Giles slightly mis-hit her pitch and it pulled up 15ft short, while Morris played a lovely shot which finished about 3ft from the hole. The pressure was on, but Giles rose to the challenge and slotted home the putt: “I knew I had to get it right so I gave it a little extra time, I felt confident – and it went in! Rochelle played really well and finished birdie, birdie, it was a great effort.” Third place was shared by Scotland’s Lauren Whyte and Elizabeth Stebbings (Formby Ladies’) on eight over par. One shot further back in fifth place were Lianna Bailey (Kirby Muxloe) and Bethany Garton (Royal Lytham & St Annes).

Results: English Women's Open Amateur

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Samantha Giles	, England	500	73-72-71-73=289
2	Rochelle Morris	, England	400	72-73-73-72=290
T3	Lauren Whyte	, Scotland	300	77-74-77-68=296
T3	Elizabeth Stebbings	, England	300	77-74-71-74=296
T5	Lianna Bailey	, England	300	73-79-73-72=297

View full results for English Women's Open Amateur

About the English Women's Open Amateur

Sammie Giles wins English Women's Open Amateur

A maximum of 144 players will contest this 72-hole stroke play championship. The full field will play 18 holes on each of the first two days. Then the leading 40 competitors and ties will play the final 36 holes on the third day. The winner will retu...