Cup delight for starlet Carina

Ladies' Chronicle Cup presentation at Brookdale Golf Club. Oldham Chronicle managing editor David Whaley presents the Cup to youngest ever winner, sixteen year old Carina-May Teirney.

TALENTED Carina-May Teirney took a break from her GCSE revision to win the women's Chronicle Cup.

The 16-year-old produced a stunning performance over the Brookdale course to post a seven-under-par 71-9-62 score - but still needed a six-hole-play-off to take the top prize.

Her score was matched by the host club's lady captain Stella Cain (98-36-62) who found the play-off a daunting prospect, but was happy to see her handicap come down to 32 after her best round in three years since she took up the game.

For Carina, who plays at Crompton and Royton, the success cut her handicap to seven as she pursues more glory in the county ranks with Lancashire.

"I just had one of those rounds. I felt relaxed and struck it well, but always had a feeling someone was going to come in and beat it," she said. "And it nearly happened!"

The Fitton Hill prodigy had raced to the turn in a brilliant two-under gross 33, with birdies at the second, third and seventh (and a bogey at the fifth). Her only major blemish was a double-bogey five at the long par three 17th.

She was swift to thank Brookdale professional Karen Heywood, her coach.

It was originally thought Carina was the youngest winner, but checking records, that honour is still held by Maxine Abernethy as she was then called. She was 14 years old when she won the title on her then home course of Oldham in 1982.

Maxine, now Parfitt, plays at Saddleworth and was in the field for the 2017 renewal.

Now it's back to the books for Oasis Academy student Carina, who is looking to study Animal Care and Welfare at Hopwood Hall in September and has dreams of doing a degree in marine zoology.

Carina was part of the quartet who claimed the Centenary Plate for Crompton and Royton in the team competition for the top four returns.

They totalled 270 (62+68+70+70=273) through Julie Barton, Joyce Adams and Noreen Nicholson to beat Brookdale by five shots.

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