SUE MAWBY'S victory in the Herefordshire County Ladies Golf Championships was the highlight of a thrilling day's play at South Herefordshire Golf Club, writes PAUL FERGUSON.

The Herefordshire GC player claimed the County Championship Cup but needed a play-off win to see off a determined challenge from Ross-on-Wye's Helen Palmer. Both players finished on a gross score of 80 but Mawby claimed victory by three strokes in the play-off to collect the trophy for the third year running.

There were plenty of other close contests during the Championship, which came to South Herefordshire for the first time on Saturday.

Marilyn Howard of Burghill Valley produced a fine nett round of 68 to claim the Hereford Times Championship ahead of Sapey's Netty Kirk (nett 69) and Belmont's Jennifer Gladwin (nett 70).

And Ross-on-Wye nearly produced a clean sweep in the Silver Division where two of their players finished in the top three. Teammates Janet Hyndman and Erica Atkins claimed the first two places with respective rounds of 88-18-70 and 86-15-71 while Zoe Edwards of the host club finished third on 92-20-72.

The situation was almost reversed in the Bronze Division, but South Herefordshire's Anita Lever and Jill Wargen could not see off the challenge of Leominster's Wendy Lane. She finished on 92-26-66 and three shots ahead of the pair, who finished on nett 72 and 74 respectively.

Home advantage did not prove decisive in the competition but the hosts did have the last laugh by claiming the Bulmers Woodpecker Cider Team Trophy. Their combined score of 218 points was just enough to earn them the title ahead of Ross (219) and Sapey (220) in the closest finish of all.

The prize giving ceremony was presided over by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire, Mrs Joyce Thomas MBE and Mr Barrie Smith, president of South Herefordshire Golf Club.

RESULTS County Championship Cup (Gross): 1 Sue Mawby (Herefordshire) 80, 2 Helen Palmer (Ross-on-Wye) 80, Vicky Howles (Burghill Valley) 82 Hereford Times Championship: 1 Marilyn Howard (Burghill Valley) 85-17-68, 2 Netty Kirk (Sapey) 87-18-69, 3 Jennifer Gladwin (Belmont) 100-30-70 Silver Division: 1 Janet Hyndman (Ross-on-Wye) 88-18-70, 2 Erica Atkins (Ross-on-Wye) 86-15-71, Zoe Edwards (South Herefs) 92-20-72 Bronze Division: 1 Wendy Lane (Leominster) 92-26-66, 2 Anita Lever (South Herefs) 95-23-72, 3 Jill Wargen (South Herefs) 95-21-74 Bulmers Woodpecker Cider Team Trophy: 1 Anita Lever, Zoe Edwards, Jill Wagem, Margaret Edwin (South Herefordshire GC) 218, 2 Helen Palmer, Dinah Johnston, Erica Atkins, Wilma Macnamara (Ross-on-Wye GC) 219, 3 Tina Woolridge, Chloe Ballard, Pam Ellis, Netty Kirk (Sapey) 220.