By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Welsh champion and Curtis Cup reserve Becky Harries produced arguably the best round of her life just when she needed it most to win the prestigious Welsh women's open amateur stroke-play championship over the Ashburnham links on the South Wales coast today.
Starting the final day four shots behind overnight leader Chloe Williams (Wrexham) and in joint fifth place, the 23-year-old from the Haverfordwest club stormed round in five-under-par 69 for a final total of two-under-par 220.
Top Scot for the second weekend in a row was Laura Murray (Alford). Joint third last week at Troon, Laura finished ninth at Ashburnham with scores of 79-77-74.
The big hitting winner of the St Rule Trophy two years ago (when she beat Amy Boulden in a play-off), Laura had an eagle at the fifth and birdies at the third and 17th.
Four late bogeys - at the 14th, 15th, 16th and 18th - cost Murray a top five or six placing.
Second best Scot was Carnoustie teenager Jessica Meek in 11th place on 233 with scores of 78-75-80.
Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) and former Scottish champion Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) also failed to break 80 in the final round but made the final top 2-20.
Alyson scored 77-81-80 for 238, the same aggregate as Megan with scores of 77-78-83. They were joint 18th.
Curtis Cup team selection Charley Hull (Woburn) did not defend the title.
THE FINAL TOTALS
Par 222 (3x74)
220 Becky Harries (Haverford West) 76 75 69.
222 Chloe Williams (Wrexham) 74 73 75
224 Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak) 80 70 74.
225 Amy Boulden (Conwy) 78 75 72.
226 Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) 76 74 76, Emily Taylor (Royal Lytham) 73 75 78.
227 Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) 75 78 75.
229 Nikki Foster (Pleasington) 77 74 78.
230 Laura Murray (Alford) 79 77 74
231 Katherine O'Connor (Tadmnarton Heath) 74 78 69.
233 Jessica Meek (Carnoustie) 78 75 80.
234 Rachel Drummond (Beaconsfield) 77 81 76, Lauren Hillier (Newport) 79 75 80, Hannah Barwood (Knowle) 75 77 82
235 Helen Searle (Huddersfield) 83 76 76, Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough) 78 76 81
237 Katerina Slukova (Czech Rep) 80 81 76.
238 Stacey Rodger (West Hove) 79 83 74, Annabel Dimmock (Wentworth) 81 79 78, Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 77 81 80, Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) 77 78 83.
239 Lucy Gould (Bargoed) 85 79 75, Rachel Goodall (Heswall) 82 78 79.
240 Sophie Madden (West Essex) 80 78 82.
Other Scot
244 Clara Young (North Berwick) 77 84 83.
