A 12-year-old girl from Abergele has followed in the footsteps of golfing greats to win at Wales\u2019s legendary Ryder Cup venue, Celtic Manor.<\/p>\n
Little Lea-Anne Bramwell, a Year Seven pupil at Howells School, Denbigh, clinched a dramatic final green triumph in the final of the Welsh Mini Masters tournament.<\/p>\n
After a ding-dong battle Lea-Anne, who plays at Abergele Golf Club, arrived at the ninth and final hole level with her opponent in the strokeplay final but she unleashed a glorious three-wood to 12 feet, just missed her birdie putt but tapped in for a par-three and a two-shot win.<\/p>\n
Lea-Anne\u2019s mum and dad and her sister, Amy-Jane, also a pupil at Howells School, all play at Abergele where Lea-Anne has a 28-handicap and she had her dad, Jason, who plays off 12 on the bag for her in the final.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cIt was great to have dad there. He knows the game and was able to give me some advice and encouragement so it was a team effort.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hit a really good shot at the last hole and my opponent was in trouble and took two to get on and three-putted.\u201d<\/p>\n
The final was held over a shortened nine holes of the Montgomerie course at Celtic Manor, the magnificent golf resort near Newport, in Gwent, which memorably hosted the 2010 Ryder Cup.<\/p>\n
The Montgomerie course was designed by Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and the final produced a similarly nerve-shredding finish.<\/p>\n
Monty\u2019s bunkers caused Lea-Anne some early problems in the final and she fell two shots behind.<\/p>\n
She fought back though, watched by a contingent of family and friends and with two holes to play was one ahead before her opponent holed a raking putt on the eighth to level the match.<\/p>\n
But it was Lea-Anne who held her nerve on the final hole to come out on top and take the trophy: \u201cIt was really good,\u201d she said: \u201cDad was a big help and was really good at choosing the right club for me to hit.\u201d<\/p>\n
The final was the culmination of a lengthy qualifying process with both Bramwell sisters entering the competition which aims to encourage young golfers in Wales in the wake of the successful Ryder Cup<\/p>\n
Lea-Anne and Amy-Jane both played in the first qualifying round held at Penmaenmawr Golf Club and both won through to the regional final at St. Melyd Golf Club, near Prestatyn.<\/p>\n
There Lea-Anne came out on top with Amy-Jane a close second but with only one going through to the final.<\/p>\n
Howells School Academic Principal Emma Jones said: \u201cWe\u2019re delighted for Lea-Anne. She showed a lot of skill and determination to win and to hold her nerve on that last hole was tremendous.<\/p>\n
\u201cGolf is a very difficult game and there must have been a lot of tension, especially playing somewhere like Celtic Manor, and it must have been a great experience for her and for her family.\u201d<\/p>\n
The talented sisters are not just good at golf though. Earlier this year they celebrated double success at the Chester Drama Festival where Amy-Jane gained a first prize and Lea-Anne a second.<\/p>\n
As well as golf Lea-Anne loves horse riding and enjoys Mathematics while Amy-Jane is studying A-levels in Chemistry, Biology and Physics at Howells School and would like to be a pharmacist.<\/p>\n