By Hamis Stuart
Wales international Annabel Collis made up for disappointment last year – and earned family bragging rights – by winning the Welsh Girls Championship in Cardigan Golf Club.
The Boys event was won by Leicester-based Teddy Crooke, whose family come from Oswestry, with both winners in their final year at this level and hoping to head for college in America after finishing A Levels.
For Collis winning meant going one step better than runner-up last year, while brother Michael narrowly missed the cut in the Boys event, but reached the last 16 in the Plate.
Annabel beat Elin Tynan 2&1 in the final, having also won the stroke play event in qualifying for the match play stages.
“It feels amazing, I am so proud to have won,” said the 17-year-old from Mold in North Wales. “I was second last year so I came here fighting to do better, so to do it is really pleasing.
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“It shows all the match play work we have done as a Wales squad has paid off, whenever we have gone away the work done then has helped in terms of learning what things you practice.
“We have put so much focus on the preparation working with all the coaches, it really helped me this week.
“I live between Mold and Chester, one of four, my Dad and all my siblings play as well. We are very competitive and winning this means I have bragging rights over my brother for a while.
“After A Levels I am going to America, South Florida. We had terrible weather here, so that should be a bit different there.”
Battling the weather was also the challenge for Crooke, up against fellow Wales international Will Sandoz in the final, also winning 2&1. Sandoz had come out top in the stroke play event.
“It was terrible weather, windy and wet, so I was delighted to sink a 15 foot putt on the 17th to win,” said the 17-year-old.
“It feels really good, I am very proud, this is the best event I have won so far. My aim was to get through the match play and then play really aggressively.
“I was not expecting to win but I knew I was playing good golf and that form was coming at the right time.
“It is a good match play course with some drive-able par 4’s and plenty of risk/reward shots.
“I live in Leicester, the Welsh part comes from my Dad whose family are from Oswestry. Hopefully after A Levels I will be going to America to study.”
Wales Golf Competitions Manager Christian Askins added, “Congratulations to both Annabel and Teddy for battling through the tough conditions and even tougher fields.
“There was some excellent golf played and Cardigan were a superb venue. The course was in great condition despite the weather, thanks to all the staff, members and volunteers for making it such a good event.”