The Devon Girls played some wonderful golf this SW Inter-Counties and they should be proud of their individual and team display. Many thanks to Exeter Golf and Country Club for hosting the event and to all the staff at Exeter. The course was in fabulous condition. Thank you also to all the "aunties" and spotters. Finally a huge thank you to the the Devon Junior Organiser Gill Lang, Annie Norman and Ben Martin, Exeter's Golf Manager, for all their hard work in organising this wonderful event.
Tuesday 25th July Afternoon - Devon v Dorset 3½ to 2½ to Dorset This was a most excellent match with 4 of the games finishing on Exeter's altered 18th - spectators and water quite a challenge. Evie was all square on the 18th tee but lost the hole and her game to a well constructed birdie. It was a match of the highest order.
Lexi was next down the 18th but had the advantage of being 1 up on the tee. Having found the bunker with her drive was this going to be a problem? No. The rest of the hole was played very well for a half and the match 1up.
Molly Pavey had rushed to a 4 hole advantage by the 6th tee but her momentum was truly stopped by her opponent's nose bleed. The following 2 matches were let through as the blood flow was stemmed. By the 18th Molly was 1 up and her second shot had come to rest under the trees on the right handside of the fairway. Her opponent was in the middle of the fairway. A punched 5 iron later and Molly is on the green and 2 putts secured the half and the second win for Devon.
Meg and Karrie found their opponents a little too good this afternoon and for those gathered around the 18th after a short wait, more blue and yellow was spotted marching down the fairway. Ellie was 1 up but her opponent was far more experienced. Ellie's chip just went over the back of the green leaving her a devilish down hill chip back. The Dorset player sensibly played to the centre of the green and unfortunately Ellie was unable to get up and down - match halved. Result Dorset 3½ - Devon 2½.
Tuesday 25th July Morning - Devon v Cornwall 4-2 to Cornwall After Magic Monday the team were all fired up for the final day. Cornwall were first up this morning. There was plenty of banter on the practice putting green beforehand. Unfortunately the team were unable to maintain their 100% record and went down 4-2. Evie won a keenly contested match 3-2 and Charlotte came back from 4 down on 10 to win 2-1. Congratulations to Molly who had a Hole in One on 12, but unfortunately she lost her match on 16. Lexi, Josie and Ellie battled away but in the end were unable to overcome their Cornwall opponents.
MAGIC MONDAY Monday 24th July Afternoon - Devon v Wiltshire 5-1 to Devon After sandwiches and chips for lunch and a reviving ice cream, Devon Girls were ready for the afternoon challenge, which was Wiltshire. If anything the wind was stronger and was going to prove problematic all afternoon. Evie was back to lead the team off having been rested in the morning. She took an early 3 hole lead but was pegged back to all square after the 10th. Evie may have been slightly unsettled by a wayward drive on 9 which almost hit 2 spectators who turned out to be her parents! By the time Evie had reached the 16th tee still all square and Meg had recorded Devon's first win with a 6-5 victory. Evie then proceeded to win the 16th & 17th and a second Devon win. Further back Karrie had an inspired opponent who had only dropped 2 shots by the turn, although playing off a handicap of 11. However hard Karrie tried, she could not comeback from that. So now it was 2-1 to Devon and the other 3 matches were all close. After the turn Ellie started to hit the ball straighter and victory subsequently followed, her second win of the day so it's now 3-1 to Devon. The last 2 matches went down 18 and it was tense. Josie Philips playing her second match of the day recorded her first victory for Devon at Inter Counties by halving the 18th and winning her match 1 up. Charlotte won the 18th and her match and it was Devon's day 5-1. Well played girls.
The other results of the afternoon saw Gloucestershire defeat Dorset and Somerset and Cornwall halved.
So after day 2 Devon top the table with Gloucestershire all to play for tomorrow.
Monday 24th July Morning - Devon v Somerset 4-2 to Devon A glorious but breezy morning greeted the girls on the first tee this morning, Somerset were the opponents. The girls were in good humour after their strong showing against Gloucestershire yesterday. Josie Phillips (Exminster) and Ellie Tampkins (Stover) were both playing in their first Inter Counties and first tee nerves were quickly forgotten and both were truly into their matches. Ellie got the better of her opponent on 15th and Josie fought all the way until finally losing on 17. Captain Molly Pavey, Meg Rossouw and yesterday's debutant Karrie Spencer all brought home wins and although Lexi Dart lost Devon were victorious 4-2. An excellent morning of golf and the girls are ready for Wiltshire this afternoon.
Other results this morning saw Wiltshire halve with Dorset and Gloucestershire beat Cornwall.
Sunday 23rd July - Devon v Gloucestershire Match halved
The teams assemble at Exeter Golf & Country Club
All the teams assembled ready for the 2017 Juniors Inter Counties at Exeter Golf & Country Club. Devon were on the tee at 12.52 against last year's winners Gloucestershire. The team was led off by Evie Stone (East Devon) who was playing Ebony Lewis who had finished 8th in the recent English Ladies' Amateur Championship. This was a fine game with players trading birdies. Evie eventually lost on the 18th, at which point Ebony was 4 under gross!
Molly Pavey (Stover) put the first point on the board for Devon winning on the 15th. The next 2 games finished on the 17th with mixed results, a loss for Lexi Dart (Churston) and a win for Meg Rossouw (Yelverton). The match was now 2 games each. Local girl Charlotte Husband (Exeter) left the 17th green all square in her game and, with a growing number of spectators, halved the 18th and the game.
All eyes turned to the last game on which the result of the match would hang. Karrie Spencer (Churston), in her first Junior Inter Counties, stood on the 18th tee all square. For even the most experienced golfer the 18th at Exeter with its new water feature is a daunting finishing hole, and then you add spectators and a photographer. Both girls found water but recovered well to halve the hole, halve their game and halve the match. It was tense stuff and the girls were credit to themselves and to Devon - well done.
A happy Devon team after Day 1
Tomorrow Devon are playing Somerset in the morning and Wiltshire in the afternoon.
The girls would like to thank everyone who came to support today and it was especially lovely to see a number of the first and second team at Exeter supporting the girls.
The other results saw Cornwall and Dorset halve their match and Somerset beat Wiltshire 4-2.
The 2017 South West Girls Inter Counties is being held at Exeter Golf & Country Club on July 23rd, 24th & 25th. The girls start the week playing Gloucestershire on Sunday, teeing off at 12.36pm. On Monday the girls play Somerset at 9.12am and Wiltshire at 14.12pm. On Tuesday they play Cornwall at 8.00am and finish the competition playing Dorset at 13.00pm. Each of the matches consists of 6 singles. The girls are hoping to go one place better this year and lift the title. All supporters would be most welcome and blue shirts around the course would give the girls a lift.
The squad chosen to compete for Devon at the Inter Counties is:
Molly Pavey - Stover Lexi Dart - Churston Evie Stone - East Devon Meg Rossouw - Yelverton Charlotte Husband - Exeter Golf & Country Club Josie Phillips - Exminster Karrie Spencer - Churston Ellie Tampkins - Stover