Players from 16 countries will be competing at Conwy Golf Club from 22-24 August in the hope of winning the Nicholls Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship. Italy’s Anna Rossi is unable to defend her title having joined the Ladies’ European Tour as a professional and thus a new name is destined for the trophy.
Melissa Reid will be one of the home favourites since less than a fortnight ago, she won the amateur salver in the Ricoh Women’s’ British Open at St Andrews. Already this year the 19-year-old from Chevin has won the Helen Holm and St Rule Trophies and finished in the top ten at the Ladies’ English Open.
Several members of the GB & I Vagliano Trophy team are also likely contenders for the title. Liz Bennett, Naomi Edwards the English Champion, Sarah Hassan, Breanne Loucks and Kerry Smith will all play at Conwy while Spanish International Emma Cabrera, one of the European team, will spearhead the continental challenge.
Also in the field is Heather MacRae, the winner in 2005 at Nairn, Scottish and Welsh Champions Jenna Wilson and Stephanie Evans plus Carly Booth, 15, the winner last month of the European Young Masters who will be out to improve on her 2006 performance in the Stroke Play Championship in which she won the under-18’s Dinwiddy Trophy.
The course at Conwy has only hosted the Ladies British’ Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship on one previous occasion, in 1996, when Christina Kuld of Denmark won the title.
Duncan Brown, Secretary of the club said, “We are absolutely delighted to see the Championship return to Conwy. Having hosted Local Final Qualifying for the 2006 Open Championship, as well as the 2007 Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open, the players will find the course in excellent condition and be subject to a fair test of golf. A very warm welcome is extended to all the players, officials and spectators.”
Competitors play 36-holes on 22 & 23 August and the top 40 and ties play a further 2 rounds on Friday 24 August.
The full list of players can be viewed at www.lgu.org .
