Super year for Keech (From Dorset Echo)

Super year for Keech

8:40am Wednesday 2nd November 2011 in Sport By Echo Reporter

SOPHIE Keech has returned from a busy golfing schedule which saw her travel the length and breadth of the UK to play in some of the top amateur ladies’ competitions.

It all started as she left for Scotland after the Lyme Regis Junior Open where she carded a superb one under par score and later received a call saying she was off scratch.

The Lyme golfer then headed north to Gullane in Scotland for the British Girls’ Amateur Championship in high winds and torrential rain.

The event was probably one of the toughest competitions she has played in to date, with only 41 of the 144 entrants in the field being British. Keech enjoyed a great first round, carding just three over par. After a second round 10 over par, she missed the cut by three shots.

Next up was the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play at Royal Ashdown, East Sussex. After two days of playing alongside some of the top lady amateurs in Europe, Keech was gutted to have missed the cut by one shot.

Then it was back up north to Panal Golf Club, Harrogate for her international debut as she represented England Under-16s versus Spain. The team lost seven and five but Keech and England put up a great fight in a tightly-fought contest.

Keech then returned home to play in the Broadstone Junior Open which she won.

Then the amateur tour season came to a climax as she travelled to Ireland and The Lough Erne Golf Resort for the final of The Faldo Series Challenge. Hurricane conditions with 70mph winds on both days made play almost impossible.

This is one of Keech’s most memorable events to date after she met Sir Nick Faldo and Rory McIlroy. Faldo stood alongside her and watched her tee off in the leading group on the final day.

Unfortunately Keech could not quite close the gap on the leaders and finished fourth in her age group. Back to school, playing in the HMC (Headmaster’s Challenge) in Warwickshire, her team came second to Loretto (Scotland) with Keech unbeaten in all her four singles and doubles matches.

Later she played for Millfield in a triangular event against Loretto and Wellington at Trevose in Cornwall where Millfield finished second, with Keech recording the lowest girls’ score in the event.

To end her season, she played at Saunton Sands in a 36-hole competition for the overall Millfield Girls’ School Champion, which she won to end a remarkable and successful season.

Keech’s prestigious titles won in 2011 included: Dorset Ladies’ County Champion, Dorset Junior County Champion, England Under-18 Schools Champion, World Schools Champion won in South Africa and Millfield School Girls’ School Champion.