YOUNG golf star from Droitwich Maisie Whittall finished as runner-up at the recent U16 English Girls Championship.

Whittall, from Gaudet Luce Golf Club in Droitwich, ended the competition five shots off winner Chloe Tarbard. 

Tarbard started the day five shots behind the under-16 overnight leader, Axelle Martin, who had led through rounds one and two.

However, the 15-year-old from Royal Norwich thrived under the pressure and dealt well with the ever-changing British weather to overtake Martin and push for her first national title after finishing fifth in the same event a year ago.

By the end of round three, Tarbard had moved onto two-under par and had a three-stroke cushion over Whittall and playing partner Roisin Scanlon.

Then, as the fourth and final round got underway, Tarbard began the way she finished in the morning, with two consecutive birdies to open on holes one and two.

By hole seven, the Royal Norwich golfer had extended her lead further. As she made the turn, Tarbard was four-under for her final round and had five birdies and just one bogey to her name.

She showed great consistency to par the remaining nine holes and despite the best efforts of Whittall and Scanlon to reduce the deficit, the England player was able to close out for a four-under par round of 69 and seal a five-shot victory.

Whittall finished second on one-under par following a final-round effort of 71, whilst Scanlon (+1) completed the top-three. Matilde Santilli (+4) was fourth ahead of Saskia Owen (+5) in fifth.