South East regional final results
South East regional winners - view all photographs from this region.
Highgate pair lead South-East qualifiers for PING championship
Highgate’s Peggy Baxter and Kumiko Takemura are the 11th hour winners of the first regional final of ELGA’s new competition, the PING Ladies’ Four Ball Better Ball Tournament of England.
They were the last pair out in the South-East qualifier at Langley Park Golf Club in Kent and, as the sun went down, they returned the winning score of net 65.
Peggy, who plays off 30, and Kumiko, a 13 handicapper, lead 12 pairs from the event who all won places in the grand final of the competition. This will be held on October 18 at PING’s flagship golf course at Gainsborough in Lincolnshire. All the qualifiers won a pair of ECCO shoes and a PING Collection shirt.
The result was a rewarding end to a long day for Kumiko who had also qualified to play in another golfing event. She had the first tee time in that competition before driving across London to take the final slot in the Ping qualifier. “We were very pleasantly surprised to win,” she said.
Altogether 150 women played in the regional final, representing 75 golf clubs and – win or lose – they voted the event a huge success.
“It’s a super competition,” said Sue Brown a 22-handicapper from Foxhills, who teamed up with Judy Searle, 18, to take second place on net 66. “It has an unusual format which we all thoroughly enjoyed.”
They also liked the sense of occasion created by the PING branding around the course.
Carmel O’Connell, 23 handicap, and Patricia George, 25, from Old Fold Manor, summed up: “We’ve had a really lovely day. We’ve been made very welcome by the club and the organisers and the course is super. The greenkeepers must have worked so hard.”
PING enthusiasts were out in force. Julie Swinhoe from Littlestone laughed: “I’m a great advert! I’ve just got a nine-wood for my birthday which completes my set and I’ve got my ruddy great white PING bag!”
Julie was dubbed “Mrs Birdie Putt” by her partner, Pauline Woolley, after holing out impressively, including sinking a 30-footer on the 3rd. They qualified comfortably on 67.
Jackie Godin from Lamberhurst teed off in the first group of the day, using her brand new set of PING G5 clubs. She revealed: “I got the hump because my daughter had a set of PING – so my husband bought me these clubs for my birthday two weeks ago.” They helped her to score two net eagles during her round. She played alongside partner Sharon Port.
“Today was a great event for all the competitors taking part and indeed for PING. We are thrilled with the response to this event in it’s first year and encouraged that it can only go from strength to strength. We are committed to the women’s game from grass roots level right through to the professional tours and bespoke women’s equipment will form a large part of our product line going forward.” Said Dave Fanning, PING’s European Marketing Manager.
Langley Park’s general manager, Rodger Pollard, commented: “PING and ELGA have run an excellent event and we would be only too delighted to see them at Langley Park in the future.”
Three more regional finals are yet to be played. Northern division: Ilkley Golf Club, Yorkshire, on August 24. Midland division: Trentham Golf Club, Staffordshire, on August 30. South-West division: Woodbury Park Golf Club, Devon, on September 19.