Sadie Claims English Women’s Strokeplay Title with Spectacular Comeback
ROYAL Birkdale’s Sadie Adams produced a sensational five birdies in the final six holes to complete an outstanding comeback to win a fiercely competitive English Women’s Strokeplay Championship at a sunny Alwoodley Golf Club.
Burnham & Berrow’s Davina Xanh produced a remarkable final-round 70 (-3), but missed a short putt on the last for another birdie to finish on -5 overall, while Adams was in scintillating form to finish with four straight birdies to seal victory by a single shot at six under.
England Golf Women’s Squad star Adams, who sat her final A-Level exam for PE on Tuesday ahead of her first round of the tournament, said:
“It’s amazing, I’m so happy! After the poor start I just told myself I could get this back, I just needed to hit fairways as I knew my approach play was good enough.
“I thought I needed more birdies to win on the back nine, but when I was on 17, I knew I needed birdie-birdie to get it done. It was amazing to win in front of my parents as they don’t get to see me play often.
“I hope it’s enough to get me in the England team for the European Team Championships. I’m going to celebrate with my teammates tonight and then I’ve got a training camp at Woodhall Spa this weekend!”
At one point on the final day, just two shots separated nine players, who gave it their all to try and lift the trophy.
After the first two days, Adams was top of the pile but got off to a torrid start with three shots dropped in the first four holes of day three. However, she shot back to the top of the leaderboard after holing out for an eagle-two on the fifth from 122 yards, before finishing three over for the round and one shot clear heading into the afternoon’s final round.
2024 English Amateur champion Katie Stephens had a remarkable morning, shooting five under through the front nine, which included an eagle on the par five eighth as she holed a 20-foot putt.
And despite bogeying the 14th and double-bogeying the 15th after hitting one out of bounds, she regrouped immediately to land a second eagle of the round on 16 and finished with the round of the tournament of six under 67 to put her in contention, but a three over in the afternoon saw her slip to a tied-13th finish.
Last year’s champion and another England Golf Women’s Squad member in Lily Hirst charged in the final round but came up just short, despite a score of three under (one under overall) helping her to a tied-fourth finish with Mexican Alexa Saldana.
Beaconsfield’s Ella Butteriss finished in sole third after shooting a solid score of two under overall, meaning that it was between Adams and Xanh for the title.
Xanh was actually leading the way for much of the morning, being bogey-free until the 17th but recovered from a poor tee shot on 18 to sit in a tie for second heading into the last round.
Despite a double-bogey on the par-three seventh, a stellar back-nine saw her birdie 10, 12, 13 and 16, as well as coming a mere inches from several others, as she rocketed to five under overall and three clear.
Xanh was in complete control on the back nine, where a crucial birdie putt on the short par-five 16th and a super sand save on 17 looked to have sealed the deal, but she missed a short birdie putt on 18 to open the door for Adams.
The Royal Birkdale golfer made an easy birdie on 16 before hitting one close on 17, and needing a birdie to win on the downwind par-five 18th, she duly delivered and almost made eagle, to secure a stunning victory in front of the cheering crowd.
It marked a superb week of golf in Yorkshire, which will host the event next year at Ganton Golf Club.
