A young golfer from Harpenden has claimed the biggest prize in Hertfordshire.

Emmanuelle Hewson, who plays out of Mid Herts Golf Club in Wheathampstead, when she isn't studying in the US, has won the Hertfordshire Golf Ladies County Championships for 2021.

The annual tournament, which this year took place at Knebworth Golf Club, began with two rounds of qualifying played under strokeplay rules.

Hewson, 19, recorded rounds of 83 and 81 to finish 13th out of 16 qualifiers, putting her into the knockout stages where the rules switched to match-play.

And it was here Hewson came in to her own.

Narrow victories over Darcie West of home club Knebworth and West Herts' Honor Keilty, one up and two up respectively, put her into the semi-final against Zanaib Jeppe of Mill Green, the conqueror of number one seed Kelly Cooke of Welwyn Garden City.

A 2&1 success took her to the final against Mawgan Vater of East Herts, like Hewson another student in the US although her base being Florida as opposed to Kentucky.

And this match proved to be the toughest battle of the lot.

It was nip and tuck for the most part although Vater always just had the edge. She had held a two-shot lead for parts of the round and was one shot ahead as the pair teed off from the 17th.

Hewson won that one with a birdie though to level the scores and she claimed the win in style with another birdie, this one from 15-feet, on the 18th green.

Hewson said: "What a week it has been with six rounds in three days and some amazing matches. Time for some champagne.”

She will miss out on taking place as the county's representative though at the Women's Champion of Champions event in September as she is returning to the US just before it.

The men's event was claimed by 17-year-old Reis Suart of Welwyn Garden City.

The 2022 county championships will take place between May 26 and May 29 at Hadley Wood Golf Club as recognition of their centenary year.