EMMA Duggleby missed out on the Yorkshire Ladies Championship on the last hole in a nail-biting reverse of last year's English Ladies final against Naomi Edwards at Strensall.

The Malton and Norton golfer holed a 30ft birdie on the final green for a chance of drawing level but Edwards of Ganton echoed the feat with a putt from 10ft to claim the victory.

The win avenged Edwards' defeat in last year's English final where Duggleby emerged on top after another epic tussle.

Duggleby had booked her place in the final with a fairly comfortable 4&3 defeat of Michelle Smith from Hallowes while Edwards ended up locked in battle against club mate Sara Garbutt. Edwards was six up and cruising in the semi-final but Garbutt fought back to level and the tie was eventually decided on the 21st hole.

The final yielded some outstanding golf from the two young North Yorkshire golfers as Edwards, 20, opened with a hat-trick of birdies and Duggleby kept in touch with a birdie, par and an eagle at the par five third.

After ten holes, the scores were again level but Edwards continued the consistent form that kept her ahead or level with her Malton and Norton opponent throughout the final. And at the 15th an eventually fatal slip off line into a bunker by Duggleby gave Edwards the mental and scoring edge to hold firm for the win despite Duggleby's last ditch efforts on the last having reduced the gap to one shot on the penultimate hole.

Updated: 10:27 Friday, May 14, 2004