HARWOOD'S Amelia Taylor retained her title in the annual Bury and District Golf Association Ladies' Championship at Pike Fold Golf Club.

In the final, she beat Harwood club-mate Clare MacLeod 4&3 to keep hold of the crown she won 12 months earlier at Bury Golf Club.

The two finalists qualified on Sunday, June 10 to proceed to the following night's semi-finals.

In the first semi-final, MacLeod faced Rossendale lady captain Bev Dodd in a match that was closely fought until the 11th hole.

The Harwood player won that and the 12th to take a lead she never surrendered as she progressed to the final with a 2&1 triumph.

In the second last-four tie, reigning champion Taylor faced Breightmet's 15-year-old Ellie Looker.

It was an extremely close affair with the match swinging back and forth before Taylor won on the 20th hole.

The all-Harwood final between past ladies' champion MacLeod and reigning champion Taylor was another tight match with nothing more than one hole in it until the turn when Taylor birdied the 10th.

After a brief fightback by MacLeod, Taylor went on to win the match.

Nett prizes were awarded on the day for handicaps of 0-24 (Division One) and 25-36 (Division Two) to encourage more ladies to participate.

The nett prize winner in Division One was Angela Wilkinson, of Bury, with nett 73 and the Division Two winner was Josie Cordey (Rossendale), with nett 75.