Essex student makes impressive debut in USA

English students have scored a string of high finishes in the latest tournaments on the US women’s college circuit.

Laura Cutler, from Warley Park at Essex, is making an impressive debut in her first year at Jacksonville State University.

She was second in the Troy University Women's Invitation tournament in Alabama, while her team-mate, Portia Abbott from Kingsdown, Wiltshire was third. Their efforts helped their university to win the team prize by seven shots.

Laura followed up with fifth place in the UAB Fall Beach Bash at The Peninsula Golf & Racquets Club, Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Hertfordshire’s Hannah Burke (Mid-Herts) put in a gutsy finish to move up to fourth place in a field of 90 in her latest event. The Baylor University student returned a level par 72 on the final round of the Challenge at Wolfdancer in Texas; this was the joint best score of the day and one of only five par rounds recorded in the 54-hole event.

English strokeplay champion Jodi Ewart shared fifth place in the Kent Youel Invitational women's college tournament over the Kapolei course, Honolulu on Hawaii. She was level par for the 54-hole event but 13 shots behind the winner who set a tournament record. Jodi, from Catterick in Yorkshire, is a student at New Mexico University.

Cheshire’s Natasha Podmore (Delamere Forest) was joint 7th, one shot back, and helped San Francisco University win the team event.