FINALISTS for the 2017 women’s singles championships were decided at the Blue Lake Golf Club last week.
The course was in top condition and as predicted, results spoke for themselves.
The field had been narrowed after three qualifying rounds of single-stroke play, followed by knock-out quarter and semi-finals of match-play over the course of the last five weeks.
The first semi-final between current club champion and top qualifier Dianne Perryman and fourth seed Rose Case proved to be a cracker of a game, but not until the inward nine.
Perryman was on top from the get-go and was five-up on the turn.
However, Case was not done and showed great resilience.
By the time the 16th was played the score was dormy – Perryman two-up with two holes to go -but it was Perryman all the way when she clinched the 17th to win 3/1.
The second semi-final between Annette Ford and third seed Helen Stratford played out as predicted, but also not until the back nine as all was even on the turn.
The 10th and 11th holes were squared, but it was down hill for Stratford after that, with Ford winning the next three holes and the 16th to gain the win 4/1.
It will be and interesting final between Perryman and Ford.
Both have played finals, but Perryman may have the edge, having won several Blue Lake and Port MacDonnell club championships previously.
However, Ford is not to be under-estimated and can certainly pull one out of the box.
Meanwhile, in the Division 2 semi-final it was unfortunate the top qualifier Helen Myers was unable to play her match against Lucy Richards due to personal reasons.
Richards has made the finals without playing quarters or semi’s and her opponent Marlene Lingham has worked her way through, giving her an advantage of having played match-play.
However, in the stableford round played for those not playing in the finals, Richards had an exceptional score of 47 points, so this final could go to the wire ,with both women playing steady golf and have played finals before.
In the second semi Lingham was placed against Lyn Annand and as expected it was a tight match.
Lingham was two-up on the turn and with holes either won or squared on the back nine, it was Lingham the victor 4/3 after the 15th.
Grand final draw – today
Division 1 (36 holes), 8.00am: D. Perryman v A. Ford.
Division 2 (27 holes), 8.15am: L. Richards v M. Lingham.
18 hole stableford results: Lucy Richards 47 points, Lee-Anne Medhurst 33.
Nearest the pin won by Josie Ashby and pro-shot won by Sue Agars.
Apart of today’s championship finals, there will be an 18-hole stableford competition.
