Northumberland’s best female amateurs have got the season off to a flying start – led by Northern Golfer Champions of Champions Jess Baker and Rosie Belsham.
Jess, the reigning Ladies Champion of Champions, finished in second place in the Comboy Scratch Cup at Delamere Forest, adding to a string of top 10s in some of the UK’s biggest amateur events. The England cap from Gosforth Park Ladies Golf Club shot rounds of 72 and 70 as fellow England international Bel Wardle defended her title with rounds of 65 and 72.
Jess also recorded a top-10 finish in the Leveret Trophy at Formby Ladies Golf Club, finishing sixth overall with rounds of 73 and 69 for a level par total. She also finished in a tie for 17th place at the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club, posting rounds of 71, 73 and 74.
Meanwhile, Whitley Bay Golf Club’s Rosie Belsham, the reigning Junior Champion of Champions, led the girls’ category at the Northern Schools Open at Fleetwood Golf Club with a round of 73. Rosie has also posted a tied seventh finish at Delamere Forest, an eighth place finish in the Leveret Trophy and a tied ninth finish at the Irish Girls Under 18 Stroke Play Championships so far this season.
Seven girls from Northumberland headed north for the Scottish Girls’ Open Championship at St Andrews’ Eden Course. Jess led the way with a tied 22nd place finish following rounds of 77, 73 and 74. Rosie finished in a tie for 28th place, Libby Bell finished in a tie for 31st place, Maggie Whitehead finished in a tie for 37th place and Rachel Gourley made the cut and finished in 59th place. Zara Naughton and Faye Wheatley missed the cut.
Meanwhile, Zara came in fourth in the nett category in the Levert Trophy with a score of 140 and Libby finished 11th with a score of 142. Arcot Hall Golf Club’s Rachel also finished in a tie for seventh place at Delamere Forest.
