Triumph for England & Scotland at St Rule Trophy

Double triumph for England at St Rule Trophy

Alice Hewson (left) and Meghan MacLaren with the U18 and team trophies respectively.

It was the best score of the final round and just one shot outside the women's course record. Earlier, on the New Course, she had scores of 72 and 80 and finished tied fourth overall on seven-under par.

Alice, 16, won the Critchley Salver at Sunningdale last week and clearly took her good form to St Andrews.

Jess Meek on the Swilken Burn Bridge(Photo courtesy Colin Farquharson Agency)

Scottish Under-21 champion Jess Meek from Carnoustie scored the biggest win of her fledgling golf career today (Sunday) when she beat France's Aaelle Carnet at the third hole of a sudden-death play-off climax to the St Rule Trophy tournament at St Andrews.

The pair, both 20 years old, had tied after 54 holes - 36 over the New Course on Saturday and 18 over the Old Course on Sunday - on 13-under-par 213. Meek shot 67-75-71, Carnet 69-71-73.

Meek, who has just completed her first year at the University of Missouri, started the final round two shots behind overnight leader Carnet who finished joint fourth in the "Helen Holm" tournament at Troon on her last visit to Scotland in late April.

But Jess, in her own words, was "flying" over the first nine holes of the Old Course.

She was six under par for the first seven holes with an eagle 3 at the fifth and birdies at the second, third, fourth and seventh in six-under 32 to the turn.

Carnet, out in one-over 39, was swamped by the tide in Meek's favour and her two-shot initial lead became a five-shot deficit with nine holes to play.

But the French player turned the tables on the inward route which she covered in 34 to Meek's 39 and capped her comeback by holing a 10ft putt on the 18th green to go round in 73 to Meek's 71 and force a sudden-death play-off over the first and 18th holes.

The first two holes were halved but disaster struck the French player at the third hole (the second replayed) when she put her second into the Swilken Burn after Meek, who had driven miles to the left but hit the green with a solid iron shot to win the hole and the tournament with a par 4.

"It's my best yet. No doubt about that," said Jess. "Playing on the US college circuit for a year has certainly made me a better player, more able to cope with the pressure of a play-off like this."

Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough), a Curtis Cup team candidate until late in the race, finished third on 217 (72-74-71).

Three players tied for fourth place on 219 including Alice Hewson (Berkhamsted) whose final round of nine-under-par 67 was the lowest of the day, only one shot outside the women's amateur course record.

Hewson, a Junior Vagliano Trophy player for GB and I, won the Lawson Trophy for the lowest total by an Under-18 years player.

Alice, in partnership with Meghan MacLaren and Bethan Popel, also won the International Team event with a total of 430. France (441) were second and Scotland (Connie Jaffrey, Meghan Briggs and Gabrielle MacDonald) tied with Belgium for third place on 450.

Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough, Northamptonshire) finished just ahead of her in third place overall, with scores of 72, 74, 71.

Bethan Popel (Long Ashton, Gloucestershire) also beat par, finishing 14th on two-under par: 74, 74, 76.

The England trio of Alice, Meghan and Bethan combined for a team total of 430, followed by France on 441, with Scotland and Belgium tied for third on 450.

The individual championship was won by Scotland's Jess Meek, who beat France's Aaelle Carnet at the third hole of a sudden-death play-off.