RACHAEL Rowntree (The Bristol), who has been playing for ten years, but has yet to play in the county first team, was the shock winner of the Gloucestershire women's championship at Ross-on-Wye.

The 31-year-old from Thornbury, who plays off 11, beat county newcomer Linda Carruthers, a new Broadway member who used to play for Surrey, by one hole in the final.

Carruthers defeated Clare Durbin (Chipping Sodbury) in the first semi final and Rowntree eliminated Jane Baldwin (Forest of Dean).

Marion Jackson, county captain, said: "It is really exciting to see some new blood coming into the first team squad and strengthening our team."

The course was very well presented but was very dry which made for difficult playing conditions.

After the initial 36-hole stroke play competition the sixteen qualifiers were led by Clare Lipscombe (Cirencester) and Joanne Hodge (Knowle), who both scored 157.

Hodge took the Prettijohn Cup after returning a better score on the second 18 holes.

Carruthers and another newcomer, Sharon Heeley (Cotswold Hills) have been picked in the squad for the county match week at St Mellons which takes place on May 7-9.

Healey is working with the Gloucestershire Ladies Golf Association as an ELGA Junior Development Manager, and has moved to Cheltenham from Devon.

The rest of the team is: Su Hinton (Bristol/Clifton), Hodge, Lipscombe, Leah Occleshaw (The Kendleshire), Ros Page (Henbury), Rowntree. Reserves: Durbin, Karen Rix (Bristol/Clifton), Helen Joyce (Long Ashton).

The team will be playing Monmouthshire, Glamorgan and Wiltshire for a place in the sub-divisional tie later in the summer.

Carruthers, who plays off three, made a successful debut when the county beat the women professionals' team raised by county coach Sarah Claridge (The Kendleshire) for the first time.

It was a close affair at Bristol and Clifton before the amateurs could hoist the Alexander Chapel shield for the first time in three years.

Lipscombe and Ros Page of Henbury led the amateurs to a 3-1 victory in the morning foursomes. But the singles were lost 4.5-3.5 making the score 6.5-5.5.

The pros included two former county players in Caroline Hall and Caroline Griffiths (now at The Vale) and the former English strokeplay champion Sarah Burnell (Libbaton).

Hannah Barwood (Knowle), who is only 12 years old, achieved the outstanding result in her first senior team outing by beating the well-known and experienced Cathy Panton Lewis 5/3.