Tracy Bourne (Willesley Park) is the new county ladies’ golf champion. She won the title for the fourth time when she was successful over her home course. She previously won this title in 2022 and had back-to-back wins in the 2011 and 2012 seasons, having played her first final in 1983 at Willesley when she was runner up to Rosemary Reed at the age of 15 years old.

Leicestershire is one of the few counties in the country to decide their championship over two rounds.

Course conditions were excellent throughout – on the first day when the stroke-play qualifier was staged, and for the two days of match-play which followed a week later, although strong wind on the first day meant the course par was not broken

The Willesley greens Team had worked very hard over the last few weeks to present the course to a very high standard & a perfect test of golf. ‘They raised the bar to another level’ commented one competitor, positive comments came from all the players spectators & the Referees.

Tracy came through a very tough semi final match with the 16-year-old Gabriella Crowfoot - who, on the first drove the green, what a start to a match. The consistency of Tracy’s short game & especially her putting gave her the upper hand winning 2&1.

The Championship final between Tracy and Karen Haynes ( Luffenham Heath ) who had won her semi-final against Joanne Morris-Bourne, also from the home club.  was played in excellent spirit, both golfers playing exceptionally well.   

Tracy was dominant for the first 18 holes of the final and was 5 up against Haynes at lunch Karen staged a comeback at the start of the second 18 but Tracy took back control taking the title 8&7 on the 11th green. This was Tracy’s 8th final & 4th title.

It was Joanne Morris-Bourne who led the stroke-play qualifying stage and won the Cathy Stephens Trophy a week before. She scored rounds of 75 and 77 for her 152 aggregate and also became the Senior Champion.

Ellie York (Lutterworth) was runner-up with her 156 tally after two 78 returns, and Tracy Bourne with 75-82 notched 157 to be third.

The best nett over the 2 rounds on the quaffing day was Tracey Bates from Willesley Park and runner up also from Willesley Park was Janice Kelly.

The top eight finishers went into the match-play stages, with the next eight qualifying for the subsidiary Russell Trophy Championship. It was decided with an 18-hole final.

Bethany Swain (Ullesthorpe Court) won this title when she ended 1-up on the final green against another home member Eleanor Parkinson. This was the first time in the match that Swain was ahead. So it was a very closely contested clash and played by two lovely young players.

Gabriella Crowfoot claimed the Buckingham Cup for the leading junior. She had two rounds of 76 for her 152 net tally, with Mia Ashton (Kibworth) on79-77-156 net second.

All the awards were presented by the county president Peggy Remington (Cosby), who congratulated the golfers on their performances throughout the championship, and on taking part in what had proved to be such a highly successful tournament.

The proceedings were completed by an excellent speech from Tracey Bourne as the 2025 Ladies County Champion.

First round match results - Championship: Joanne Morris Bourne (Willesley Park) beat Rachel East (Cosby) 4 and 3. Karen Haynes (Luffenham Heath) beat Barbara Suffolk (Lingdale) 2  and 1, Tracy Bourne (Willesley Park) beat  Diana Miller (Lingdale) 1-hole, Gabriella Crowfoot (Longcliffe) beat Tracey Bates (Willesley Park) 4 and 3, Semi-Finals – Haynes beat Morris-Bourne 3 and 2, Bourne beat Crowfoot 2 and 1, Final (36 holes) – Bourne beat Haynes 8 and 7.

Russell Trophy: Beth Johnson (Longcliffe) beat Lauren Day (Ullesthorpe Court) 2 and 1. Bethany Swain (Ullesthorpe Court) beat Karen Bonser (Willesley Park) at 19^th, Eleanor Parkinson (Willesley Park) beat Clare Bailey-Thomson (Birstall) 7 and 5. Sally Jee (Luffenham Heath) beat Lisa Porter (Lingdale) 1-hole; Semi-Finals – Swain beat Johnson 3 and 2, Parkinson beat Jee at 19^th, Final (18-holes).