A SPANISH adventure awaits Malton & Norton GC ladies after they reached the last four of the National Golf Club Classic.

The Welham Park women beat Scottish opponents Muckhart 3-2 to book a semi-final berth and a plane ticket to Spain to play in the grand finals of the prestigious tournament.

More than 760 clubs entered the competition and, having fallen at the quarter-final stages three times before, Malton had to dig deep after falling 2-0 behind early on.

Jackie Roberts fought well but lost 2&1 to a one-handicapper, while Carol Simpson, having to give up 17 shots in her match, was beaten on the 17th hole.

But Malton turned the tide. Judy Butler wrapped up victory on 16th and Jean Mackenzie won on the 15th. That left Emma Brown, a plus three handicapper and one of Great Britain's greatest amateur women players, needing to win to send the ladies into the semis.

Brown, giving up 21 shots, was four holes up at one stage and two up on the 17th only to see a par putt on the penultimate hole lip out to give her opponent hope.

Following a great drive and a second shot that was just short of the green, Brown had two putts to claim the match and obliged after her Muckhart foe took five shots to reach the green.

The quintet will now fly to the Golf El Rompido resport, in Huelva, towards the end of November as they bid to be crowned the country's club champions.

Brown said: "We were all delighted and the Muckhart ladies were lovely. They were really gracious in defeat, a really lovely team, and enjoyed their time at Malton. We are really looking forward to going to Spain.

"We have lost at this stage (quarters) three times and we are delighted to get this far. But we would love to win it."