PLAYING in the event for only the second time, 17-year-old Caley McGinty, from Knowle Golf Club in Gloucester, led the field from start to finish to win Liphook Golf Club’s 27th open Scratch Cup on Saturday.

The Gloucestershire County player had a morning round of 69 and followed up with a 71 in the afternoon to win by a clear seven shots on 140 – a margin not achieved since Charlotte Thompson’s victory in 2011.

Runner-up Gemma Allman, from Moor Park, shot 147 for her 36 holes (76, 71). Third was Wrotham Heath’s Sharna Detrieux with 149 (75, 74), on countback from Sarah Gee, from West Wilts (75, 74). Chelmsford’s Georgina Blackman, the current English Amateur Champion, came fifth, also on 149 (73, 76).

Fourteen-year-old Lottie Woad, of Farnham Golf Club, continued her successful summer with sixth place out of nearly 50 entrants with two rounds of 76 for 152.

Caley McGinty (-1) also had the best net score, 144, with Lottie Woad (3) third on 146.

Liphook had withstood the long hot summer well and there was plenty of grass on the fairways.

The heather (rejuvenated after recent rain) was blamed for some of the unusually high scores and much of the slow play. There were only four rounds of par (72) or better all day. The greens were very receptive at 9.5 stimp in the morning, becoming firmer and faster during the day.