Sadie Adams produced five birdies in the final six holes to complete an outstanding comeback to win the English Women’s Stroke Play Championship at Alwoodley – as Katie Stephens, Cherry Marley and Lily Hirst were all in the mix on the final day.
Burnham & Berrow’s Davina Xanh had a remarkable final-round 70 (three under-par) but missed a short putt on the last for another birdie to finish on five under-par for the tournament. Meanwhile, Sadie was in scintillating form as she finished with four straight birdies to seal victory by a single shot.
England women’s squad member Sadie, who sat her final A-Level exam on Tuesday ahead of her first round, said: “It’s amazing, I’m so happy! After the poor start, I just told myself I could get this back, I just needed to hit fairways as I knew my approach play was good enough.
“I thought I needed more birdies to win on the back nine, but when I was on 17, I knew I needed birdie-birdie to get it done. It was amazing to win in front of my parents as they don’t get to see me play often.
“I hope it’s enough to get me in the England team for the European Team Championships. I’m going to celebrate with my teammates tonight and then I’ve got a training camp at Woodhall Spa.”
At one point on the final day, just two shots separated nine players.
After the first two days, Sadie was top of the pile but got off to a torrid start with three shots dropped in the first four holes of day three. However, she shot back to the top of the leaderboard after holing out for an eagle-two on the fifth from 122 yards – going on to finish three over-par for the round and sit one shot clear at the top heading into the afternoon’s final round.
Middlesbrough-based 2024 English Amateur champion Katie Stephens had a remarkable morning – shooting five under-par on the front nine, including an eagle on the par five eighth as she holed a 20ft putt. Despite bogeying the 14th and double-bogeying the 15th after hitting one out of bounds, she regrouped to land a second eagle of the round on 16 and finish with the round of the tournament – a six under-par 67 – to put her in contention. A three over-par afternoon round saw her slip to a T13 finish.
The Oaks’ Cherry Marley found herself with a share of the lead as she stepped up to the 11th tee in the last round, but a triple-bogey on 11 saw her hopes fade as she finished in a tie for sixth place.
Last year’s champion, and another England Golf women’s squad member, Huddersfield’s Lily Hirst charged in the final round but came up just short – shooting a three under-par round for a one under-par total and a T4 finish.
The event will return to Yorkshire next year, with Ganton set to host the 72-hole tournament.
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