Wearside-based Millie Hixon handled the pressure of tournament golf during her exams as she stormed to a five-shot victory in the second North England Women’s Amateur Championship.
Millie put together a steady performance over 54 holes at Seaton Carew and Goswick to finish level-par for the two-day event, which was played in the middle of her GCSE exams.
She led the field with a round of 70 at Goswick followed by rounds of 74 and 71 at Seaton Carew – as the Plastic Processing Ltd-sponsored event once again offered World Amateur Golf Ranking points.
Isabella Taylor Stokes from The Wilmslow (71, 73 and 76) finished five shots back alongside 2025 winner Amy Staveley from Ganton (71, 71 and 78). Rounding out the top spots were Southerness’ Ailsa Brannock (seven over-par), Hessle’s Grace Lambert (nine over-par), and Waterfront Golf’s Jessie Lane (10 over-par).
“I’m just so pleased, it feels fantastic,” said Millie after collecting the trophy. “My driving was really good over the three days; it’s the strongest part of my game and has helped me quite a bit.”
The championship featured a total prize fund of £2,700 thanks to headline sponsor Plastic Processing, with Millie securing the £600 winner’s share.
The final round saw Millie dig deep after a minor morning slip-up. She said: “I made birdie on 12 in the final round after doubling it in the morning, then I birdied 13. I got a bit of momentum going and that got me through.”
As the North Sea breeze strengthened, the closing holes brought late drama. “I was a bit nervous after finishing. I knew I had played well, and I knew the wind had picked up, but Amy was leading after the first two rounds and I just had to wait and see.
“When I looked at the board, I saw my name at the top as Amy had dropped down. I’m really pleased to know I can hold my own against some very good golfers who are older than me, and it’s great to see the hard work pay off.”
Millie has been part of the Steve McClaren Golf Academy since 2019, and works with her coach Andrew Nicholson as well as strength and conditioning coach Stuart Parnaby.
“I am really pleased, I played well and saw things come together nicely,” she added. “I love these two golf courses so much. I am a member at Seaton and play here quite a bit in the winter. My caddy, my dad Sean, didn’t need to help me too much because I know both courses so well.”
The win is Millie’s second in a WAGR event this year following her victory in a Stephen Gallacher Foundation event at Goswick earlier this season.
England Golf north region squad member Millie added: “This is one of the biggest competitions I have won. After my GCSEs, I want to do well for the rest of the year, and in the future I want to go to the US and hopefully play for England.”
Seaton Carew club captain Peter Bianco said: “We are so proud to have hosted such a prestigious tournament once more. A huge thank you to headline sponsor Plastic Processing, who have helped massively with the growth of the tournament. We would love to see numbers grow further and the competition get even stronger. We are proud of the course’s progression, and I extend our enormous thanks to Patrick and Frances Connolly, from Plastic Processing and the PFC Trust, for their incredible support of the town and this event in particular.”
