Lea-Anne Bramwell with the Welsh ladies trophy.

Lea-Anne Leads Charge Of The Young Ones

There was a changing of the guard in the Welsh Ladies Amateur championships, with a teenage takeover of the title at Radyr golf club in Cardiff.

Lea-Anne Bramwell, aged 17 from Abergele, lifted the trophy after beating 15-year-old Ffion Tynan, from Llanharry, in the final, after recent years of more experienced players claiming one of the top titles in Welsh Ladies golf.

Katherine O’Connor, double winner of the title in the 2015 and 2016, caddied for Bramwell in the final round as a couple of birdies helped seal a back nine comeback from two down to winning by two holes.

“It feels great, this is my biggest win,” said Bramwell. “It has given me a lot of confidence, I will be going to the German girls in a couple of days with so much more confidence than before.

“When I was down in the final I knew I had to hit fairways and greens, make some birdies and I stuck to my game plan.”

Bramwell is coached by Wrexham’s Paul Williams, also the Wales national female coach, after bursting onto the scene winning the Welsh mini-masters at the age of 10.

She is playing golf full-time with the ambition to go onto become a professional player.

Ffion Tynan, Eleri Smith Jones (lady capt, Radyr GC) Lea-Anne Bramwell
Front row – Ffion Vineall, Darcey Harry

“I have been in the Wales squads for the last three years and coached by Paul for the last three years, he has been amazing and helped me through it all,” she said.

“My best result before this was third in the Irish girls last year, that was the first time I was in the last group so there was a lot of pressure. I find match play different.

“Kath caddied for me in the final round and she has been around a long time and was a huge help.

“I would like to turn pro in a few years so I am playing golf full-time at the moment to see where it goes.”

Tynan also had an excellent week, winning the stroke play title as well as reaching the final. Newport’s Ffion Vineal beat Darcey Harry of the Vale Resort in the Valentine Plate final.

Newport Links player Carys Worby and Southerndown’s Georgia Lewis were the losing semi-finalists, Lewis having beaten defending champion Lauren Hillier of Newport in the last 16, Tynan beating O’Connor in the quarter-finals.

Wales Golf championships manager David Wilson paid tribute to the Radyr club as well as the players. “The course was in great condition, a worthy host for one of our top championships,” he said.

“Lea-Anne played some great golf, particularly in the last nine holes to come back from two down to win.

“Congratulations also to Ffion Tynan who had a great week with the stroke play title and some good victories in the match play stages on her way to the final.

“There was some excellent golf played throughout the championship with a new group of Welsh girls showing they are ready to challenge at the top.”

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