Female golfers took centre-stage in the sixth edition of the Malta Golf Association (MGA) Shield, sponsored by Nescafé Dolce Gusto and hosted at the Royal Malta Golf Club.
Maria Woodward was the overall winner with net scores of 63 and 69 giving her a two-shot lead over another female golfer – Hazel Halliday – and two juniors, Bernhard Abele and Mia Allsopp.
Twenty-eight women and 92 men signed up for the competition, based on a two-day aggregate (handicapped) medal.
The women’s qualifiers commenced on November 8 while the men played theirs two days later. The players with the best 70 scores earned the right to contest the final round on Sunday, November 11.
At the end of the first round, three players led the field with a net 63 – Woodward together with Stefan Borg Manduca and Andy Borg. The latter posted a six-under 62 – the best for the tournament – which was adjusted to a net 63 due to his +1 handicap.
Borg had other commitments which saw him fly out of the country on Sunday, thus missing the second day of the competition.
The main contenders after the first day, two shots behind Woodward and Borg Manduca, were Chris Lewis and Allsopp.
Aged only 13 and in her first competitive season at the RMGC, Allsopp has the distinction of being the first ever girl golfer to have made it through the junior ranks in the RMGC’s 125 years of history.
The young lady showed her mettle on the second day, carding a net 69 for an aggregate of 134 which earned her the prize for the best youth golfer.
Lewis’s game faltered on the second day and his net 80 saw his name drop down the leader board.
Halliday’s and Abele’s second-day scores of 63 and 65 respectively were not enough to ensure the top prize as Woodward and Borg Manduca remained almost head-to-head for most of the last 18 holes. Woodward only secured her win when her rival’s ball went out of bounds on the last hole.
This year’s tournament also featured some golfers from the Belgrade Golf Cub who came to play at the RMGC. The group was led by Dragan Solak, president of the Serbian Golf Association.
As the MGA Shield is a ‘closed’ competition, the Serbian guests played their own little tournament. This was won by Aleksandar Stojilkovic.