Bougourd masters ‘tricky’ conditions to win 19th title

It was also the 11th time she has successfully defended the crown in a stellar career that shows few signs of slowing down just yet.

No matter all the accolades she has accumulated, Bougourd continues to work hard at improving her game and she continues to reap the rewards of her endeavours, too.

Her classy display in the 36-hole final on another windswept day at L’Ancresse saw her to a 4 & 3 victory over her good friend Di Aitchison, who had been the form player throughout the week in defeating three former champions on her way to the showpiece match.

Bougourd always had something in hand on her opponent, having reached the turn of the morning round 3 up.

Aitchison’s competitive nature saw her reduced the deficit to just one hole briefly on the back nine, but when Bougourd hit arguably the shot of the final with a superb approach to within 1ft at the 17th, it put her back to three ahead.

Although she lost the 18th after finding thick rough when her tee shot got carried by the wind to the left of the green while Aitchison hit a cracker to the heart of putting surface, Bougourd was ‘very pleased’ to have established a 2 up lead at lunch.

The champion continued to play solid golf in the afternoon, intent on keeping her opponent at arm’s length and she was 3 up after 27 holes before playing the 10th and 11th holes perfectly in the conditions to extend her advantage to five.

Aitchison responded with a terrific tee shot on the 12th to win that hole and claimed the next with a par, too, but Bougourd was still in charge of the match and after they halved the 14th, Aitchison was unable to get up-and-down from through the back of the 15th and the De La Rue Trophy was heading home with the top seed for a 19th time.

‘I was really pleased with the way I played today because it was tricky out there for both of us,’ Bougourd said.

‘It was that north-east wind which doesn’t seem to help on any of the holes, cross wind most of the time, and I think both of us managed it quite well for most of the time out there. But I had a really good ball-striking day.

‘I play with Di a lot, in the past we have played a lot paired up in foursomes in inter-insulars and team matches, so we know each other’s games very well and I have got huge respect for Di’s game. I knew I had to be on form to have a chance of beating her.

‘It’s very difficult playing one of your mates as well, you are almost trying to zone in on the course rather than who you are playing.’

Bougourd now has her fingers crossed that she will get the chance to play another Channel Islands Championship final after the pandemic denied her that opportunity last year.

In the 18-hole Division Two category final, Bonny Hamilton overcame her early nerves to move through the gears impressively against Kathryn Touzeau and claim the title 4 & 3.

Meanwhile, Heidi Lawlor took the honours in Division Three despite a late fightback from Rosie Scott, winning 2 & 1 having been 3 up with four to play.