Smith makes it four titles in Bradford Ladies' Championships (From Keighley News)

Claire Smith makes it four titles in Bradford Ladies' Golf Championships

9:07pm Wednesday 1st August 2012 in Sport By Mike Crowther

Silsden and Ilkley member Claire Smith clinched her fourth Bradford Ladies' Golf Championship crown in record-breaking style at Shipley.

The Yorkshire player stormed to victory by 5&4 in the final against holder Natalie Ireland, having earlier broken the course record in qualifying with a round of 70.

That beat the previous best of 72 held by Mary Waddington and Anne Smith.

The 25-year-old, who won the English Ladies’ Mid-Amateur Championship at Collingtree Park last year, eagled the par-five first hole to leave host club member Ireland up against it from the start in the final.

And she never let go of her stranglehold as more birdies followed in a bogey-free round, which saw her five under par after 14 holes when the pair shook hands.

Smith last won the trophy back in 2006 – under her maiden name of Starkie – before taking on a golf scholarship at Georgia State University.

She said: “Winning the Bradford title means a lot. It’s nice to have the trophy back after a few years. I played very steady.”

The plus-one handicapper, who was the youngest player to win the event at 16 in 2004 and went on to claim three titles in a row, beat 2007 champion Katie Barraclough, of East Bierley 5&4 in the semi-finals.

That was after overcoming her mum, Jackie Starkie, who is also a member at Silsden, in the quarter-finals 5&3.

Smith said: “We play a lot together but that was the first time we’ve played against each other in this type of competition.”

Ireland reached the final thanks to wins over East Bierley’s Jackie Barraclough (7&6) in the semi-final and Keighley’s Elaine Pearson.

The nett trophy was won by Helen Williams (Shipley), who beat fellow club member Judith Walton 3&1.

There was also a hole in one by Sue White (South Bradford) on the qualifying day.

The event attracted healthy support, helped by a rare spell of good weather.

Next year’s event will be at Keighley Golf Club, when organisers hope every club in the Bradford district will support the tournament which, in its current format, has been running for ten years.

Qualifiers, gross: C Smith (Silsden) 70, J Barraclough (East Bierley) 76, N Ireland (Shipley) 77, K Barraclough (East Bierley) 78, H Butterfield (BSI) 80, E Pearson (Keighley) 82, A Mitchell (Keighley) 83, J Starkie (Silsden) 84. Nett: J Worby (Shipley) 85-13-72, D Stephenson (BSI) 97-25-72, C Illingworth (Shipley) 92-19-73, A Illingworth (West Bradford) 98-24-74, H Williams (Shipley) 86-12-74, G Fry (Shipley) 88-13-75, J Walton (Shipley) 91-16-75, J Walsh (South Bradford) 86-11-75.