FORMER Lyme Regis youngster Sophie Keech received an invitation to participate at the exclusive Stoke by Nayland course, as part of the Ladies’ European Tour Access Series, and secured a sublime top-10 finish.
The top-15 ranked amateurs in England – Keech ranked eighth – were invited to play alongside more than 70 international professionals in the prestigious tournament.
On the opening morning, the 18-year-old, was paired with English professionals Melissa Nicol and Joanne Hodge.
Not allowing her nerves to get the better of her, Keech played some superb golf in a round that included three birdies to shoot level-par, leaving her in the second amateur position in the field behind Ellie Goodall and joint 10th overall.
With an earlier tee-time in the second round, Keech then shot two-over-par to remain second in the amateur standings, and well inside the eight-over-par cut.
Paired with two more pros in the form of Alexandra Peters and Sarah Attwood for the final round, Keech birdied the third hole then fired back-to-back birdies on the seventh and eighth, leaving her two-under after nine holes.
A double-bogey on the 13th did not deter her, and she kept her determination with a birdie on the 15th and finished the round one-under with a 71, leaving her one-over for the tournament.
With Goodall leading the amateurs on the first two days, a 78 in her final round meant that Keech had won the amateur title, and she had finished eighth overall on her first experience of a Ladies’ European Access Tour tournament.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here