Chesters and Law win England Golf’s top prizes

Walker Cup hero Ashley Chesters and world number five Bronte Law are England Golf’s top golfers of 2015, winning their respective orders of merit for the year.

Hawkstone Park’s Ashley Chesters turned professional following Team GB&I’s victory at Royal Lytham & St Annes and was the runaway winner of the men’s title for the second year in a row.

His spectacular season also included tying for 12th at the Open at St Andrews, which Chesters has picked out as a highlight. He said: “It was such a good week from start to finish and to play well and play all four rounds at St Andrews was amazing.”

NCG caught up with Chesters following his amateur heroics, click here to read our digital edition of the magazine and head to page 96.

At the Walker Cup, Chesters won 3.5 out of 4 points and combined with the order of merit success, convinced the Shropshire 26-year-old that the time was right for him to turn professional.
‘England Golf helped a lot with … all the things they do to help us get better’ The double European champion said: “The last couple of years have made me think I am ready to turn pro and could be good enough to make a living out of playing golf.

“Obviously England Golf helped a lot with that, with the coaching, trips away and all the other things they do to help us get better.”

Bronte Law topped the women’s table despite spending most of her time at college in the USA. She defended her English women’s amateur title with a huge 16-shot winning margin and helped England to win the silver medal in the Spirit International Amateur.

A student at UCLA in California, Law said: “It means a lot to win the order of merit. I miss the majority of counting events being in the US, so I’m very pleased I could play well in the tournaments over the summer while I was back at home.”

During the season Law got to third in the world rankings, tied fourth in the European amateur and won her fourth tournament on the US college circuit.

The 20-year-old has already played in two Curtis Cup teams, with her eyes set on a third appearance next year.

Teenage internationals Marco Penge and Lizzie Prior are England Golf’s top junior golfers of 2015.

Marco Penge made an impact on men’s golf when he won the Scottish amateur strokeplay title, despite being aged just 17.

He won the junior order of merit despite playing a limited schedule and said: “I only played three boys’ events this year and I won two of them and reached the semi-finals in the other, which got me over the line to win the order of merit.

“Winning this means a lot to me because a lot of great players, who have done a lot as professionals, have won this trophy.”

Among the Golf at Goodwood youngster’s successes this year were victories in the Peter McEvoy Trophy and the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters. He was also in the winning GB&I boys’ team which defeated Europe in the Jacques Leglise Trophy.

Eighteen-year-old Lizzie Prior punctuated her final year in junior golf with the order of merit victory.

The Burhill golfer said: “Getting this title was a great achievement for me. It was something I wanted to win as this was my last year in girls’ golf and I wanted to go out on a high.

“I had one of my best years and I felt as if I prepared myself well for every tournament, ensuring I was in the best shape for every competition.”

Poor won the girls’ title at the Fairhaven Trophy and was runner-up three times throughout the season, including at the English women’s amateur.

The Las Vegas student said: “I want to continue progressing and getting better both physically and mentally. I also intend to start pushing myself harder to go pro in the next two years.”

Order of Merit
Men
1. Ashley Chesters (Hawkstone Park) 114,355pts
2. James Allan (Chelmsford) 73,593pts
3. Scott Gregory (Corhampton) 61,998pts
4. Josh Hilleard (Farrington Park) 59,105pts
5. Joe Dean (Lindrick) 59,021pts
6. Paul Kinnear (Formby) 51,972pts
7. Thomas Robson (Weymouth) 49,443pts
8. James Walker (The Oaks) 47,117pts
9. Marco Penge (Golf at Goodwood) 46,600pts
10. Steve Robins (Hull) 44,489pts

Women
1. Bronte Law (Bramhall) 75,679pts
2. Sophie Keech (Parkstone) 72,018pts
3. Sammie Giles (St Mellion) 57,956pts
4. Bethan Popel (Long Ashton) 54,046pts
5. Rochelle Morris (Woodsome Hall) 52,934pts
6. Sophie Lamb (Clitheroe) 46,378pts
7. Gemma Clews (Delamere Forest) 40,907pts
8. Lizzie Prior (Burhill) 40,368pts
9. Hollie Muse (West Lancs) 37,782pts
10. Alice Hewson (Berkhamstead) 36,816pts

Boys
1. Marco Penge (Golf at Goodwood) 98,475pts
2. Bradley Moore (Kedleston Park) 89,623pts
3. Billy Spooner (Boston) 42,330pts
4. Nathan Fell (Lindrick) 38,253pts
5. Jordan Sundborg (Shanklin & Sandown) 31,055pts
6. Will Enefer (Wrekin) 30,460pts
7. Jamie Li (Bath) 30,460pts
8. John Gough (Stoke Park) 28,009pts
9. Thomas Jordan (Langley Park) 26,396pts
10. Toby Briggs (Dunston Hall) 24,888pts

Girls
1. Lizzie Prior (Burhill) 93,225pts
2. Sophie Lamb (Clitheroe) 58,065pts
3. Emma Allen (Meon Valley) 50,916pts
4. Hollie Muse (West Lancs) 50,904pts
5. Alice Hewson (Berkhamstead) 36,816pts
6. Eloise Healey (West Lancs) 34,706pts
7. Emily Toy (Carlyon Bay) 30,541pts
8. Cloe Frankish (Chart Hills) 28,733pts
9. Sammy Fuller (Roehampton) 24,426pts
10. Penelope Brown (Worthing) 21,632pts