THERE has been no respite for promising golfer Grace Bowen during the school holidays as she has been busy reducing her handicap.

The talented 12-year-old from The Worcestershire Golf Club travelled to Blackmoor in Hampshire to take on older and more experienced players in the England Girls’ Under-16 Open Amateur Championships.

Carding a birdie and an eagle to record a five-under-handicap opening round of gross 81, Bowen missed the cut by just three strokes when torrential rain saw the second day’s play abandoned.

She then lifted the girls’ championship title at Droitwich Golf Club after a superb display.

Her gross score of 78 included three birdies and eight pars.

In club competitions, the youngster came third in a ladies’ combined cup tournament on the Malvern Wells course before assisting last year’s club captain, Mark Read, in securing a match-play half away at Cotwolds Hills.

Her excellent run of form leaves Bowen now holding a handicap of 9.9.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Finlay Milton joined forces with his father David Milton to lift the The Worcestershire’s Generation Shield.

Each pairing competing in the nine-hole event featured a junior member.

Club captain John Williams felt the good standard of the juniors’ golf was reflected by the winning score of 23 stableford points.

Two steady players 13-year old Harry Brimmell and his playing partner Liz Pool took the runners-up slot with 18 points.

Division One’s Pauline Belsham stormed to victory with 38 stableford points to win the ladies’ Jack Campbell Cup and Silver Division Cup.

Debbie Minett returned another round under par as she finished second overall and first in Division Two with 37 points, reducing her handicap to 23.

Jen Bishop was second in Division One and Anne Garner second in Division Two, both on 33 points. Bowen and Jill Brierly returned scores of 32 points to take third places in divisions one and two respectively. There were 11 entries to the nine-hole stableford with Davina Taylor taking the honours with 16 points, ahead of Kate Cross and Jenny Bunyan, both on 15 points.

Elsewhere, Jon Lane and John Goodwin won the Alan Courtney Cup men’s greensomes with 40 stableford points ahead of Mark Read and Phil Birch, also on 40, with Peter Basten and Paul Jones third on 38.

In inter-club matches, The Worcestershire’s Seniors enjoyed a narrow 3.5 : 2.5 victory at Broadway with many games decided by the last putt on the final green.

Winners for The Worcestershire were Phil Bayliss and Tim Keates 4&2 and Ron Gordon and Stan Jones 3&2, while Tony Rogers and Sam Macleod halved their match.

The club’s mixed team continued their fine run of form with a 6.5 : 5.5 win away at Cotswold Hills.

Wins were recorded by Jim and Di Wilde 6&4, Alan Smith and Joyce Duncan 3&1, Paul and Diane Meakin 2&1, Gordon and Pat Rose 2&1 and Colin and Jenny Jones one up.

Halves were achieved by Mark Read and Grace Bowen, John and Geraldine Williams and Brian and Jill Piner.