by Pete Barrow

IT WAS a week to remember for the The York's ladies' section as national and local honours came flooding their way.

On the big stage The York member Kirsty Taylor was making an impact on the professional circuit with a joint second place finish in the Weetabix Women's British Open tournament at Royal Birkdale.

Closer to home the York Union of Golf Club's Fulford Rose Bowl saw the Strensall club's members fill the top three places as they made the most of playing on their home course.

And all that followed the Union's Ladies' Fourball stableford competition, played at Forest of Galtres, which saw The York successful once again.

"We are just on a high," said The York's Lady captain Marie Fairclough, who was among the trio to make such a strong showing in the Fulford Rose Bowl.

"It has been brilliant. Kirsty did very well in the British Open, we were delighted with what we achieved in the Rose Bowl and before that we had the foursomes success, so it is just wonderful."

There was no rest for Taylor as she was in action in Sweden this week, and there was little chance for her to share her delight at going so close to winning the British title with her club-mates.

However, the members at The York were well aware of just how well their colleague was doing.

Taylor shot a last round 67 and as leader Swede Sophie Gustafson saw her seven-shot lead steadily evaporate, the Stillington-based player was moving up the rankings.

As it transpired Gustafson held on for a two-shot win, but for Taylor, currently high on the leaderboard in the Compaq Open in Malmo, the consolation of second place was pretty weighty as she pocketed more than £50,000.

And her fellow members took time out to watch her secure second place.

"We were actually about to make the presentations for the Rose Bowl, but the York Union representative very kindly delayed proceedings so that we could watch her line up her final putt on the 18th, which decided whether she came second or third," said Fairclough.

Taylor's success only added to the celebrations that were already under way after Pat Murthy had won the Fulford Rose Bowl with a score of 65, with Fairclough second a shot behind and Jill Irwin third with a score of 66 - Malton and Norton's Janet Rushworth was fourth on 67.

"Certainly playing on our own course probably helped us," admitted Fairclough.

"But having said that it is all about how you play on the day and for three of us to do so well was marvellous."

The first prize was a cheque to be donated to a charity of the winner's choice with Murthy choosing the St Leonard's Hospice appeal.

The Rose Bowl success will probably also see the dropping of a few handicaps and it also produced a hole-in-one for Boothferry Park's Rosemary Nellis, who aced the 102-yard 11th hole.

High scoring was also the order of the day in the Union fourball stableford and it took countback for the winners to be decided as Val Crossley (20) and Heather Gott (29), of The York, edged out Forest Park pairing Davina Burn (20) and Julie Ashton (15) after both pairs had scored 44 points.

And the name of the Strensall club cropped up yet again with their pairings of Caroline Hunter (7) and Joy Hunter (4) taking third place on 41 points, while Maureen Turnbull (12) and Fairclough (18) were fourth as they out-pointed Malton and Norton's Josey Halliwell (20) and Sue Mason (21) on the back nine after they had registered 40.

The York Ladies were also in the running for honours again at Leeds course Sand Moor in midweek when their scratch side, who were unbeaten in their six qualifying matches, were trying to win the Yorkshire Inter-club League title.

However, they were unable to keep the ball rolling with Rotherham claiming the title beating Huddersfield 4-3 in the final.

PICTURE: SUCCESS STORY: The York ladies trio who took the leading places in the Fulford Rose Bowl, from left, ladies captain Marie Fairclough, who was runner-up, tournament winner Pat Murphy and Jill Irwin, who was third