County Week 2017

30 June, 2017

Kings Norton Golf Club Oxfordshire Squad

• Millie Anderson – Badgemore Park
• Amy Boote – Tadmarton Heath
• Isabel Edwards – Kirtlington
• Kate Evans – Frilford Heath
• Maggie Findlay – Oxford Golf Club
• Cara Gainer – Frilford Heath
• Victoria Hart – Hadden Hill
• Abi Laker – Frilford Heath
• Jessica Otto – Studley Wood
• Karen Pollard – Henley
• Lily Robinson – Oxfordshire Affiliated
• Laura Watkins – Bicester

Oxfordshire v Berkshire – Fri 30th June

And the final day arrives with Oxfordshire playing the hosts Worcs & Herefordshire, after a long week but with some highs recorded!

The morning foursomes didn’t quite go Oxfordshire’s way with three defeats for our final pairings. With Abi Laker and Kate Evans just being pipped on the 18th after a good match. Millie Anderson and Maggie Findlay out second as a new pairing but unfortunately defeated as said before and final pairing Karen Pollard and Victoria Hart suffering badly unfortunately.

Onto the singles and could another comeback be on the cards! Off to a great start with Oxfordshire top loading their singles order with Abi and Millie both recording wins. Only 3-2 down now. The following matches for Oxfordshire resulted in defeats, unfortunately no come back this time. Kate Evans and Karen Pollard both came up against two young juniors who played well and will be around for some time! Maggie had a hard defeat but a great CMW for Victoria saw her go up the 18th again to lose there.

It wasn’t to be on the final with a 7-2 defeat.

It has been a great week with lots of good matches, great comebacks and a week I thoroughly enjoyed with a great squad.

Onwards and upwards to next year where Buckinghamshire will be hosting at Denham Golf Club 17th-20th June

#Goteamoxon!
Remember “we never lose, we learn from it”

Oxfordshire v Berkshire – Thurs 29th June

Day 4 of CMW and we play our local rivals Berkshire! Buoyed from our great result the day before, we were ready for this. Not a great start though with our first pairing of Maggie Findlay and Victoria Hart losing to the mother and daughter pairing from Berkshire. Second pairing of Abi Laker and Kate Evans also ended in defeat but new pairing of Cara Gainer and Millie Anderson came in with a good 2/1 victory leaving us 2-1 down after the foursomes. All to play for in the afternoon.

Just the edge needed to spur us on in the singles matches. Abi Laker led the way and got us off to a great start with a 4/3 win over Laura Webb. Millie Anderson was then to follow this with a 5/4 victory and giving Oxfordshire a 3-2 lead in the match. County Captain Karen Pollard was out next and got her first win of the week too and Oxfordshire are now 4-2 up. Now time for Karen to see how her nerves would hold out looking to get Oxfordshire’s first win of the week. Maggie Findlay got to the 17th but couldn’t quite get the win. Oxfordshire were now 4-3 up. Two matches left on the course and 1point needed to win the match. Victoria Hart then went on to record her second singles win of the week winning her match on the 18th to secure Oxfordshire their first win of the week. Cara gainer out last also came in with a win to give Oxfordshire a 6-3 victory and a very happy captain!

#Goteamoxon!

Warwickshire v Oxfordshire – Weds 28th June

Day 3 and so glad the weather forecast didn’t result in what it could have been or we would have been very wet! Instead just some drizzle. But not to be deterred by the forecast Oxfordshire had the late morning match and got under way from 9.30am with Cara Gainer and Kate Evans leading the way. Not a great start to the morning foursomes with a defeat. A new pairing of Millie Anderson and Lily Robinson followed, and unfortunately defeat too. And the last pairing of Karen Pollard and Victoria Hart also resulted in defeat leaving us 3-0 down from the morning matches.

Un deterred by this Oxfordshire went out fighting in the afternoon to get some points on the board and were buoyed by the arrival of Abi Laker.

Abi then led the way in the singles and recorded a great victory to get the first point on the board for the afternoon. Cara gainer then followed recorded another win. Maggie Findlay was next but after another good game was unable to convert into a victory, losing on 15. Lily Robinson followed and had a great game securing a win and her first singles victory following on from her half earlier in the week. Victoria Hart was next and had a great game and came in with her first win in the singles and points towards to colours. This then left the match at 4-4 with one match to finish. Kate Evans was in the final match and this went to the final putt on the 18th and was a huge putt calmly rolled in for the match to end all square and honours even with a halved match 4.5-4.5
My nerves were tested while watching the match but was very pleased with the way we played and to get our first points on the leader board. A very happy captain on the Wed evening and looking forward to Thursdays match.

Oxfordshire v Northamptonshire – Tues 27th June

On the second day we were looking to get points on the board towards a victory.

With the same foursome pairings as Monday morning Millie Anderson and Kate Evans leading the way and getting Oxfordshire’s first points of the day on the board with a 2/1win. Maggie Findlay and Lily Robinson followed but went down against two strong players. Karen Pollard and Izy Edwards then came up against another strong pairing and ended with a defeat too.

This left Oxfordshire 2-1 down from the morning matches.

The team squad was boosted for the afternoon with the arrival of County Champion Cara Gainer. Cara then led the way for the afternoon singles and had a great game with both players playing sub-par golf with Cara the eventual winner and putting the first points on the board for the afternoon. Millie Anderson followed and gave us another win for two points on the board. Come on girls! Unfortunately, all the following matches for Isabel Edwards, Victoria Hart, Maggie Findlay and Karen Pollard resulted in defeats but were good matches with some great golf played.

Never to be deterred, Oxfordshire are onwards and upwards to the next match.

Buckinghamshire v Oxfordshire – Mon 26th June

Not the start you would necessarily want, opening match against the defending champions. Not deterred by this Oxfordshire went out with their usual positive spirit.

Millie Anderson and Kate Evans led the way in the morning foursomes but went down with a defeat. They were followed by Vice captain Maggie Findlay and CMW debutant Lily Robinson losing 1down on the 18th after a great match. The final match was County captain Karen Pollard and another CMW debutant Izy Edwards, with another good game but also resulting in a defeat. Leaving us 3-0 down after the foursomes.

Onwards and upwards to the afternoon singles.

Runner up from the Championships earlier in the year Millie Anderson led the way again. Having a good tussle in her match going down 1down on the 18th. Maggie Findlay then followed having a very difficult match and losing too. Lily Robinson played a very good game for her debut in the singles, coming from 4down to birdie the 18th to get a super half in her match and first points towards county colours. Izy Edwards, another new debutant followed, another good game but resulting in defeat. County captain Karen Pollard followed and had a great match after being 3down after 3 to come back well but to lose on the 17th. Kate Evans was our last player out and again the match resulted with a defeat.

A very unfortunate defeat but not deterred we have 4 more matches to do well in. Oxfordshire motto is “we never lose, you learn from it” and we take that forward into our next match.