Championships - Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship 2006
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16.06.2006
Naomi is the only Great Britain & Ireland player in last 4 at Royal County Down.
Maria Hernandez from Pamplona in the north of Spain reached the semi-finals of the Ladies British open amateur golf championship for the second year in a row with a convincing win over Sophie Walker.Maria was four under par and never lost a hole in winning by7 and 6.
"I am playing better and better this week," said Maria. "I did not putt well in losing the semi-final to Louise Stahle last year but I am putting better now."
Miss Hernandez, a 20-year-old student at Purdue University, Indiana surged into a four-hole lead after only five holes and was six up after eight, having birdied the third, seventh and eighth. Another birdie clinched the Spaniard's place in the last four at the 12th.
Maria will play Anna Nordqvist, a 19-year-old from Stockholm and the holder of the British girls' open title. Anna, who lost the first two holes, was two down for most of the way in the quarter-final against Florentyna Parker until she raised her game with three consecutive birdies.
The first halved the long 13th but a 2 at the short 14th and a 4 at the long 15th wiped out her deficit. Miss Parker three-putted the 16th from a short distance to fall behind for the first time in the match. Halves at the 17th and 18th put the tall Swede through to the last four with two under par figures.
The other semi-final will be between 18-year-old Spaniard Belen Mozo and 22-year-old Naomi Edwards from Ganton. Miss Mozo, who comes from the Cadiz region, established a three-hole lead on the outward half against Katharina Schallenberg.
Then the German rallied to win the 11th and 12th and square the game by the 16th.
Belen did not panic as the tie seemed to be drifting away from her. A par was good enough to win the 17th and put her back in the lead. A half in par 5 secured victory.
Naomi Edwards had an eagle and five birdies - and a lot of bogeys - win winning by two holes against Irish champion Tricia Mangan. Naomi bogeyed the first two holes but recovered to be two up after seven holes.
Tricia came back at her to square the tie twice on the inward half before her Yorkshire opponent pulled out a birdie and an eagle at the 15th and 16th to go two holes clear again.
Naomi holed an 8ft putt for a birdie 4 at the 15th and then holed a wedge shot from 75yd for a stunning eagle at the 16th.
Tricia was not finished yet. She won the 17th to be one down on the 18th tee but she drove into a bunker and took four shots to get on the green, eventually conceding the hole and the match to Naomi.
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