LYME’S Sophie Keech won her second national title of the year when she scored a five-shot victory in the English Girls’ Open Championship at Oake Manor, Somerset.

The 17-year-old, who is already the English Schools’ champion, finished the 72-hole event on level par with rounds of 70, 68, 73 and 73.

Her playing partner Annabel Dimmock (Wentworth) was runner-up on five-over, while Emily Slater (Woodhall Spa) was a further shot back in third place.

“Last year, and the one before, were good for me but winning this makes this year my best-ever – and there’s still more to come,” said Keech, who is also the South West Girls’ champion and who was runner-up in the South West ladies.

She was previously the schools champion in 2011 – and only lost the title on countback in 2012.

But, the English girls’ championship has long been a target for the Lyme teenager, whose friend and county colleague, Hayley Davis, is a past winner. “It’s really nice to follow in her footsteps,” she added.

Keech was in the mix throughout the event, holding fourth place after the first round and moving into a three-shot lead at the halfway stage.

After the third round, when she shot two-over 73, she had extended her lead to four – and she was determined to stay in front.

She said: “I tried to keep in front the whole time, I didn’t want to drop back and have to attack. I wanted the others to chase me.”

That’s the way it played out. Her challengers jockeyed for position behind her, but none of them managed to catch her as she fashioned another 73, playing both nines in one-over par.

Dimmock got within three shots after she birdied the 13th and Keech bogeyed the 15th – where she visited the water – but that gap never narrowed.

Keech added: “I knew I was three ahead and I told myself to par in.”

Meanwhile, her rival bog-eyed both 17 and 18.