Former
Welsh Girls captain Jill Evans has stepped up to lead the Wales Ladies golf
team – hoping to build on the successes under Sue Turner.
Cradoc
golfer Evans was a Wales Girls international and Under 23 European silver
medallist, before returning to Welsh golf as Girls Captain and then a selector
for the Wales Ladies team before accepting this new role.
The
appointment means continuity at a time when Welsh ladies are enjoying an
unprecedented period of achievements for the likes of Amy Boulden, Becky
Harries and Chloe Williams.
Wales
won back-to-back Home International victories for the first time under the
captaincy of Turner, who sadly passed away after losing her battle with cancer.
Close friend Evans will be looking to
carry on the good work.
“I
have mixed feelings,” admitted Evans. “Losing Sue was so sad, she was a good
friend as well as an inspirational leader. It is a huge challenge taking over from our
most successful ever ladies captain, but I am hugely honoured to be asked.
“We
have a great bunch of girls, coach Jeremy Bennett is a huge asset, so it is the
ideal team and I am just glad to be a part of it.
“I
think the continuity is part of the thinking, I have worked closely with Sue,
we have been friends for a long time, so I know her ideas and can continue
along the same lines.”
Wales
had only ever won one Home Internationals title in more than 90 years until the
back-to-back successes under Turner, which has seen the emergence of a top
group of Wales lady golfers.
This
season Boulden won the Helen Holm Trophy at Royal Troon, one of the best
victories of her already highly successful start of the season which included
confirmation in the Curtis Cup team to face the Americans in June, with Welsh
Amateur champion Becky Harries named on the reserve list.
Boulden
had also won the Leverett Trophy, with fellow North Wales teenager Chloe
Williams making it one-two with some excellent scoring – Boulden setting up
victory with an opening 64 to finish two shots clear, with Williams in turn
four shots ahead of the third placed player.
Not
to be left out, Harries won the Tenby Trophy with some similarly impressive
scores, finishing four ahead of Boulden with Katie Bradbury in third. Harries followed that up by victory in a
strong Wales Ladies Open Strokeplay Championship, with Williams second and
Boulden fourth to give Welsh golfers three of the top four places in Ashburnham
“I
worked with a lot of these players as Girls Captain, Amy, Becky, Kath O'Connor
and the Bradbury sisters were coming through then,” explained Evans, who was
part of the 1981 Wales Girls team who claimed the silver medal at the European
Championships.
“It
has certainly been one of the best ever starts to a season for the Welsh girls
and of course we are looking forward to the Curtis Cup with Amy in the team and
Becky on the reserve list.
“I
think they spark each other to greater successes, they encourage each other a
lot to do well but are also competitive. I think the key is that they work extremely
hard too.
“We
want to do especially well this year for Sue. We will not dwell on that fact, but every one
of us will want to do it for her memory.
“It
is a tough ask, but the results the girls have been getting this season show
they are certainly capable.”