A STRING of triumphs has helped the women's section at Selby Golf Club hit new heights.

Megan Garland won the Northern Close Championships at Eaglescliffe, in Teesside, last week - meaning the Brayton Barff course can continue to boast having the title winner of the prestigious tournament following Ellie Goodall's victory in the event 12 months ago.

Goodall qualified to play the 36-hole final at the England Women's Amateur Championship at St Enodoc, in Cornwall, last week, eventually finishing tied 27th in a tournament where Selby was also represented by Olivia Jay, who missed the cut on a tough course.

And both Garland and Olivia Hamilton were key members of the Yorkshire Women's side, along with The Oaks' Olivia Winning, that retained the Northern Counties Ladies Team Championship and will now go on to Belton Park to defend their national title in September.

Garland, soon to jet off back to America to begin another year at Arizona State University, came through 36 holes of qualifying and two days of matchplay in the Eaglescliffe event - seeing off Yorkshire compatriot Alison Knowles in the final to take the trophy and, along with Knowles and Hannah Holden, she also won the gross team prize.

The 20-year-old, who plays off a +1 handicap, is coached by Sandburn Hall head professional Steve Robinson, who said of her triumph: "It was a great win for her and a bit of a breakthrough.

"We've been building her confidence back up and she had a really good counties matchweek. This caried it forward."

Garland and Hamilton were part of a young Yorkshire squad that was pushed to the limit at Northern Counties Matchweek at the Northumberland Club, in Tyneside earlier this month, but prevailed to triumph.

They took top spot on game points with 34 to Lancashire's 30.5. The White Rose lost 5-4 in the Roses clash but among their victims were Cumbria (9-0), Cheshire (6-3) and Durham (8.5-0.5).

In the clash with Durham, Garland teamed up with Sophie Godley to beat Laura Alexander and Alex Jones 4&2 in foursomes before defeating Rebecca McGinley 1up in the singles. Hamilton grabbed a half against Jones.

Robinson, who also coaches Yorkshire women, added: "This was a hugely young team and we came up against sides like Lancashire with much more experience.

"Emma Brown did not play, which was a big miss for us - having someone in the team who has won ten titles, and we had some 14 and 15-year-olds in the squad as well. We always thought we had a chance because we are battlers but we were all very pleased with the overall result."

Of the buoyant times for Selby GC, secretary Sally McHale said: "We are delighted because we see all of the hard work that they are putting in. You see them on the practice facilities and they are reaping their own rewards. We are only too delighted to be able to support them in any way that we can."

* Robinson is also the lead coach for the England Women's team that won their qualifying competition at the European Ladies Team Championship at the Ljubljana Golf Club, Slovenia.

The competition, which was held last summer at Fulford Golf Club, saw England fall to the French in the semi-final.