ROCHELLE MORRIS made up for the disappointment of 12 months ago when she became Huddersfield, Halifax Ladies champion at Crosland Heath.

The two-handicapper from the host club, beaten by Sandra Paul last year, defeated Huddersfield’s Megan Lockett 4&3 in yesterday’s held-over final, as this year’s Matchplay event became a tale of the ‘young guns.’

For not only were the two finalists still in their mid teens, so too were the beaten semi-finalists, Lightcliffe’s Hannah Holden and Huddersfield’s Amelia Covell.

The final had to be spread over two days after torrential rain and a howling gale forced 16-year-old Morris and 14-year-old Lockett to seek refuge in the clubhouse after just five holes on Wednesday afternoon, with organisers forced to call a halt with balls moving about on the greens.

At that point Morris was three up, and she extended that lead to five by the 10th hole when play resumed early yesterday morning.

But Lockett – who also went one step further after losing in last year’s semis to eventual winner Sandra Paul – suddenly hit back with a vengeance, winning three holes on the bounce, 11, 12 and 13, to threaten the Heath player.

However, Morris stopped her opponent’s charge on the 107-yard par three 14th when she chipped in for a birdie two to take the hole and re-take a three-hole lead. And when the two girls shared a half in five at the 492-yard par five 15th, it was all over.

“It wasn’t as bad as Wednesday afternoon, but it was still really tough out there because of the wind and squally showers,” said a delighted Morris, who got her name on the salver for the first time.

“Obviously being a member at the Heath and playing here since I was about nine or 10, definitely gave me a bit of an advantage because I’m used to playing in the wind.

Rochelle, a member of the Yorkshire Ladies second team, is now celebrating being called up for England’s Under 16 squad for the upcoming international against Spain.

Not to be outdone, Lockett, who is now incredibly down to a handicap of five at the age of 14, has been picked for the Yorkshire girls team and is also playing with the Welsh girls team.

Despite losing out in the final, the daughter of former Huddersfield professional Warren Lockett, Megan had plenty of consolation in this week’s Festival after winning both the Best Gross Trophy in Monday’s qualifying strokeplay competition, when she carded a gross 81, but she also doubled up by lifting the Best Nett Trophy with a 76!

In the semi-finals Morris defeated Covell (another Yorkshire player) 5&3, while Lockett accounted for Lightcliffe’s Holden 2 up.

Other prizewinners in the three-day Festival were:

Monday: Division I: 1st nett: Sarah Arrowsmith (Woodsome Hall), 2 Anne Taylor (Woodsome Hall).

Division 2: 1st nett: Georgia Holden (Lightcliffe), 2 Doreen Sutcliffe (Crosland Heath).

Tuesday: 1st tri-am: Woodsome Hall (Mansfield, Sheard and Heaton); 2 Woodsome Hall (Blakeley, McLelland and Turner); 3 Woodsome Hall and Crosland Heath (Hillaby, Armitage and Sanderson).

Wednesday: 1st Greensome Trophy: Bronwyn Todd and Margaret Blanchard (Longley Park); 2 Hilary Taylor and Margaret Haigh (Crosland Heath); 3 Pauline Blakeley and Rhoda James (Meltham).