Newton takes to senior service
Apr 24 2009 by Tim Taylor, The Journal
LUCY Newton, a former sponsorship manager with Trinity Mirror in Newcastle, has instantly branded herself as a force to be reckoned with in seniors golf.
She reached the semi-finals of the English championship yesterday by beating Hampshire’s current England senior international, Christine Stirling, over the links of Hunstanton in Norfolk.
Now an estate agent, Newton, 50, made her debut in the event unknown outside her own county, although three years ago she reached the final of the Northumberland championship.
But the Matfen Hall member triumphed 2&1 in her quarter-final after a 5&3 win over Surrey’s Sheree Dove-Wilde in the last 16, and both matches followed a similar pattern.
Newton, whose coach is the Hexham club professional Andy Paisley, said: “It went really well all day and there were no great ups and downs, I was level par over the two matches.
“What pleased me most was that I parred the fourth hole both times. I took a triple bogey there on Wednesday.
“The good thing about senior golf is that it is such a change to be one of the younger ones in the field and not have to be the one trying to keep up with the younger ones yourself.”
Newton was able to call on her experience, though, having in the past enjoyed playing top links courses such as Seaton Carew and Royal Birkdale.
Her ability to position her tee and approach shots accurately enabled her to steer clear of the many bunkers and get within range of the flags on the vast greens.
Newton now plays Woodhall Spa’s Denise Parker with Hampshire’s former champion Chris Quinn facing Norfolk’s Jo Ashmore in the other semi-final.
BARNARD Castle’s Robert Dinwiddie shot a five-under-par 67 to end the first day of the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea just two strokes off the lead in a tie for sixth place.
Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano shares the lead with New Zealand’s Mark Brown, the pair having also finished second and third respectively in last week’s Volvo China Open in Beijing.
On that occasion, Fernandez-Castano missed out on the win by just one shot, giving him his second runners-up finish after losing a play-off to Michael Hoey in Portugal earlier in the year.
Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee eagled the 10th and fired four consecutive birdies from the second to sit one shot behind the leaders, alongside Korea’s Kang Kyung-Nam and Robert-Jan Derksen of Holland. Hartlepool’s Graeme Storm shot a level-par 72.
