Jackie Foster wins Hertfordshire Women’s Senior County Golf Championship for seventh time

Jackie Foster won two events and was runner-up in a third at the Hertfordshire Women’s County Championships.

The Bishop’s Stortford Golf Club member began the event, which took place at Berkhamsted Golf Club, by shooting a one-under-par 72 in the opening round of the 36-hole scratch qualifying.

The Women’s Senior County Championship was held jointly with the main event for the first time, with her morning round earning Foster the title for a seventh time.

Her afternoon round of 81 meant she was the second seed for the matchplay competition.

Foster’s clubmate Haley Yerxa (76 and 78) was one shot behind to qualify in third place and fellow Stortford player Harriet Buchan also had two good rounds, playing four under her handicap.

With the two best gross scores from players in a club counting in each round, Stortford comfortably won the Champion Club crown by nine shots and will go on to represent Hertfordshire in the national finals later in the year.

In the matchplay quarter-finals, Yerxa had a good battle with Essendon’s Janine Cicchirillo before losing 2&1 while Foster beat Brocket Hall’s Amelie Stewart on the 18th.

Foster beat Cicchirillo 3&2 in an up-and-down semi-final to set up a final showdown with another Brocket Hall player, Zainab Jeppe.

Foster had beaten Jeppe to win the 2020 county championship, but this time it was the latter’s turn to triumph thanks to a 5&4 victory.