How proud are we of this Yorkshire team?
What can one say, today was magnificent.
After the morning’s win over Cumbria we faced Northumberland , always a tough county to beat.
Megan Wileman ( Selby) and Becky O’Grady were again paired in the foursomes. This has been an inspired pairing . New girl O’Grady has undoubtedly benefited from the experience Wileman has had in her many county matches.
The Yorkshire pair should have been two up after the first couple of holes as their approach shots gave them shortish putts for the win. It was not to be but not for long.
Wileman struck a peach of a shot on the par 3 4th to under 3’. O’Grady easily secured the birdie.
After that the Yorkshire pair settled comfortably into the groove and gave the Northumberland pairing of Lomac and Emerson little chance. In fairness the Northumberland pair made a few mistakes and these were capitalised on.As a result, it was all over on the 13th. A stunning 7/5 win.
In the second foursomes match Yorkshire’s Taylor and Stephens played Moore and Ferguson. This was a ding dong of a game and could have gone either way. Yorkshire 1 down after the par 3 13th , regaining the lead on the 17th to go one up . Everything to play for going down 18.
In the event after Taylor’s tee shot went slightly long at the par 3 the Northumberland pair managed to snatch a half.
The singles matches were always going to be tough with the two Naughton sisters Charlotte and Zara from Northumberland going out in the first and third positions.
Charlotte took on Yorkshire’s Aaliyah Irwin who was unbeaten in all her matches. Naughton came into match week on the back of a victory in the St Rule tournament and had been in phenomenal form.
She still was. Irwin played consistently well but Naughtons putting ( 4 30’ putts holed) meant it was not to be for Irwin. She suffered her first loss 4/2.
Charlotte Colley, in stunning form today, soon dispensed with Zara Naughton . Even with a couple of wayward drives , Yorkshire’s Colley was powerful enough to recover the situation . She took the match 3/2. A great display of golf today which her watching parents must have thoroughly enjoyed.
The last match on the course saw teenager Ruby McLellan from Woodsome Hall go into the 18th all square against Northumberland’s Coralie Watson. Golf is a game of pressure as Rory McIlroy knows only too well .
McLellan felt this pressure first hitting her tee shot just over the ditch some 25 yards from the green. Watson clearly sensing an opportunity drove the green finishing some 20’ away.
Coach Lysa Jones endeavoured to steady the Yorkshire youngster’s nerves walking with her to weigh up the 2nd shot. A good recovery with the ball landing on the green some 25’ from the hole.
Still McLellan’s putt. She got it close.
Watson putted leaving what looked like an easy tap in.
Yorkshire secured a four.
Now nerves part 2!!! Watson had a short putt to secure the half in her match and ensure Northumberland halved the overall match. A Rory moment ensued, the putt was missed, heartbreak for Watson, joy for Yorkshire and Mclellan.
Yorkshire win 3 games to 2.
Well done team Yorkshire on a captivating day’s play with some heart stopping moments. A real team effort. Well done all.
Match 3 Yorkshire v Cumbria
Yorkshire came out all guns blazing this morning . The conditions were calm albeit overcast.
Wileman and O’Grady were back in foursomes and got off to a very fast start.
The rookie O’Grady and Wileman never took their feet off the gas and ran out 6/5 winners against Cumbria pairing Smith and Rayson.
In the second game it was back to business as usual for Stephens and Taylor. There were on song and in tune ( excuse the musical puns) and ran out 7/6 winners birdieing the 12th.
Undefeated Aaliyah H-Irwin was lead out woman for the singles matches. Yet again she was in imperious form. A birdie 2 on the 13th from of the green gave Irwin her 3rd win of the competition.
In second spot was Charlotte Colley. Once again the driver never made an appearance and other than the first hole every fairway was hit with phenomenal accuracy. Cumbria’s Molly Davies was swept away by the power of Colley whose accuracy on the fairway was matched with some stunning approach shots to greens. Another win for Yorkshire 6/5.
The final match saw Grace Lambert against Cumbrias R Wildey. This one went all the way to 18 with Lambert one down as she faced her tee shot to the challenging par 3.
She dropped it on the green 15’ from the pin. Cumbria from off the green chipped to 2.5’feet. Pressure on for Lambert.
You guessed it- a storming put from Lambert for a well deserved half.
There is no doubt that the Yorkshire caddies and supporters are totally invested in this team and they too deserve a pat on the back for their support and commitment.
Well done team Yorkshire , a great bounce back.
Match 2 Yorkshire v Lancashire
It was a day of two halves for the Yorkshire team. A stunning win in the morning and a disappointing result against arch rivals Lancashire in the afternoon.
Matches against Lancashire are always tight and they have been the losing side for a number of years . Today however, it was there turn to shine.
Abigail Taylor ( Headingley) and Katie Stephens ( Middlesbrough) usually a proven Yorkshire pairing took on Green and Freeney from Lancs. The end result didn’t do justice to the quality of the play and Yorkshire had a number of lip outs. Match result 4/3 to Lancashire.
McLellan and Williams were out again in foursomes. The Lancashire pair set off strongly and were quickly 5 up due to tremendous putting from the Ashton Hall player. Undeterred the Yorkshire girls dug in and pulled some holes back losing 3/2.
In singles Grace Lambert and Charlotte Colley both fought bravely . Lambert lost 5/4. Colley was up against it immediately with Lancashires Parker scoring an eagle on the 1st. Colley went 3 down at one point but pulled it back to one down. She took the match to the 17th but lost to a birdie 2/1.
Today’s star of the show was 17 year old Aaliyah Hryniewiecka-Irwin . Undefeated in two matches. This afternoon she played Lancashire stalwart Cath Roberts . It was a nip and tuck match with Roberts getting the faster start and going 1 up after the first.
It didn’t last long and Irwin quickly got back to level. Fantastic approach shots to greens by Irwin saw her edge ahead in this match and once there she never got behind.
Both girls made mincemeat of the par 5’s and the entire match was a master class in golf.
It ended on 17 with Irwin securing a birdie to take the match 2/1.
A solid, gritty, determined performance , well done.
Durham v Yorkshire
It was a wet and drizzly start at 6 am when the Yorkshire team surfaced for breakfast .
A new look squad containing a mixture of youth and experience prepared to tackle their first match against Durham.
Rookie Becky O’Grady was bloodied in the first foursomes match with Yorkshire stalwart Megan Wileman.
Hope Williams (Thirsk and North Allerton) and Ruby McLellan ( Woodsome) played in the second foursomes of the day.
Yorkshire Champion Grace Lambert led the singles matches facing Durhams E Baxter.
Phoenix and Huddersfield player Charlotte Colley fresh from her rookie season in North Carolina, faced Lucy Ashworth.
The final singles saw Crosland Heaths Aaliyah H Irwin against A Sutheran.
As it turned out the morning was well and truly Yorkshires with four wins out of five.
Wileman and O’Grady were very unlucky to just lose the match in the 18th with O’Grady’s put being a whisper away for the half. That was the last bad news for Yorkshire.
Williams and McLellan were never behind in their match and ran out comfortably winners 2/1.
In the singles matches Yorkshire were imperious. Yorkshire Champ Lambert had a comfortable 6/4 win.
Colley didn’t take the driver out all morning and won 5/3 securing a lovely birdie on hole 18 ( Yorkshires 9th hole for the morning round).
In the last match Hryniewiecka- Irwin was like a machine . She played stunning golf and did not lose a hole until the short par 3 18th.
The match was all over at the 4th hole when she secured a comfortable par 3 over the oppositions bogey. A 6/5 win.
Well done Yorkshire a fantastic opening session .
The Selection Committee met recently to select the squad to represent the YLCGA at the upcoming Northern Counties Match Week to be played at Lancaster GC on 17 – 19 June 2024.
The team is as follows in alphabetical order
Charlotte Colley - Phoenix
Aaliyah Hryniewiecka-Irwin - Crosland Heath
Grace Lambert – County Champion - Hessle
Ruby McLellan - Woodsome Hall
Becki O’Grady - Howley Hall
Katie Stephens - Middlesbrough
Abigail Taylor - Headingley
Megan Wileman - Selby
Hope Williams - Thirsk & Northallerton
Non travelling reserve – Jess Hosking (Huddersfield)
Northern Counties Match Week 2024 takes place
at Lancaster Golf Club on 17 - 19 June.
The draw for the matches is as follows:
Day 1
Match 1 AM Cheshire v Northumberland
Match 2 AM Durham v Yorkshire
Match 3 AM Cumbria v Lancashire
Match 4 PM Northumberland v Durham
Match 5 PM Cheshire v Cumbria
Match 6 PM Lancashire v Yorkshire
Day 2
Match 1 AM Cumbria v Yorkshire
Match 2 AM Northumberland v Lancashire
Match 3 AM Cheshire v Durham
Match 4 PM Northumberland v Yorkshire
Match 5 PM Cumbria v Durham
Match 6 PM Cheshire v Lancashire
Day 3
Match 1 AM Lancashire v Durham
Match 2 AM Cheshire v Yorkshire
Match 3 AM Northumberland v Cumbria