ENGLISH golfer Ella Butteriss set a course record at Aberdovey before maintaining her superb form to win the Welsh Women’s Open Stroke Play Championship.

Butteriss made a sensational start, carding seven birdies and two eagles in an eleven-under-par 64, a record score from the gold course tees. She backed that up with two further impressive rounds of 70, finishing five under overall to secure the title by two shots ahead of England squad player Lily Hurst.

Pennard’s Rebecca Del Sol-Gonzalez was the leading Welsh performer, finishing tied sixth. She was joined in the top 20 by Buckinghamshire’s Saskia Owen, tied ninth, Crewe’s Morgan Bollan, tied 14th, and Tenby’s Bethan Morris, tied 17th.

Butteriss said: “It has been an incredible week. Going out with a bang and shooting eleven under was lovely, then focusing on finishing with the trophy. I’ve achieved it, so it’s been a great week.

“Aberdovey was amazing – my favourite course in Wales. The green staff have done an incredible job and the members and staff were so welcoming. I’m not usually a fan of links golf, but the weather was kind and the course was just fantastic.

“It’s my first win of the season and hopefully I can build momentum. I’ll be playing a lot this summer and want to keep this level going.

“Dad was on the bag all week. Sharing moments like this with him is special – we had a lot of laughs and I couldn’t have done it without him.”

Wales Golf Competitions Manager Dan Fullager praised the standard of play, highlighting Butteriss’s record-breaking opening round and commending Aberdovey as an excellent host venue with ideal conditions contributing to a high number of birdies and eagles.

He said: “ “Aberdovey was a superb venue, the weather was kind which led to a lot more birdies and eagles than we normally see around there.”