Top seeds KO'd at English women’s match play   Essex golfers Georgina Backman and Sophie Madden toppled the top two seeds today to take their place in the semi-finals of the English women’s open match play championship at Holme Hall Golf Club in Lincolnshire. They are joined in the final four by Cloe Frankish of Kent, who won on the 19th after being three down with three to play, and by English-born Gemma Batty, who now lives at   Moffat in the Scottish Borders. Blackman (Chelmsford) was first to move into semis when she defeated the top qualifier and England international Sophie Lamb 5 and 3.  Madden (West Essex) quickly followed her, defeating number two seed India Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), who carried Lincolnshire hopes of a local winner. Blackman, (pictured top) signed off with a birdie on 15 and said afterwards: “I’m very pleased, I wasn’t expecting that. I think I was so worried that Sophie was going to beat me by lots that I turned my game on a bit!” The 20-year-old got ahead on the second and after winning seven, eight and nine was four up at the turn. Lamb (Clitheroe) pulled two holes back when she won 11 and 12, but the Essex player won another three in a row to finish the match. Tomorrow Blackman plays Cloe Frankish (Chart Hills), who pulled off an impressive comeback today. The 17-year-old, who has been battling a cold, went three-down in her quarter final when Chantelle Cassidy of New Zealand holed her third shot on the 15th for an eagle. Frankish battled back, getting back to all square with a run of par, par, birdie and then followed up with a winning birdie four on the 19th. “I was really pleased with myself,” she said. Tomorrow her plan is simple: “I am just going to try and get birdies, try and win the holes.” In the other half of the draw, Sophie Madden (pictured left) withstood a late charge by Clyburn to win 1 up and take her place in the semis. “I got to three up with five to play but lost two in a row,” said the 19-year-old, who has just completed her first year at university in America. “But I came through in the end.” Madden, who has another Essex player, Dulcie Sverdloff, on her bag, went on: “I just went out with no pressure, played my game and tried to enjoy it. It’s really nice to make the final day.” He opponent is Gemma Batty, a Stirling student who recently won the Slovenia international and is just back from the World University Games where she came fifth. She had such a quick turn-around she didn’t have time for a practice round. She came through a low-scoring quarter-final against Lianna Bailey (Kirby Muxloe), closing out her opponent 4 and 3.  “I was three up through nine and then we halved every hole in par until I birdied the 15th to win. We both played very steady golf,” said Batty. Click here for full scores from today’s match play rounds Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 07825 752 193

England Golf, The National Golf Centre, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire LN106PU United Kingdom