England Golf has named its Women’s Squad for the 2023/24 season, which includes six new players in the nine-woman squad. The nonet, who have been recognised for their impressive achievements over the past year, will receive England Golf training sessions with support from its world-class coaching team, and will feature in competitive opportunities throughout 2024. The UK-based squad will train alongside the Girls’ Squad for the most part the winter, whilst the US-based players came together last week for a Thanksgiving camp at Florida State University with coaches Steve Robinson and Nick Soto. Lili-Rose Hunt and Nellie Ong are newcomers to the national programme, and join Sophia Fullbrook and Isla McDonald-O’Brien, who have progressed from the England Girls’ Squad, while sisters Mimi and Patience Rhodes are also new additions to the squad for 2023/24. Details of each of the individuals’ impressive 2023 seasons are detailed below. Performance Manager for Women’s Golf, Becca Hembrough, said: “Coming off the back of a very exciting year for the Women’s Squad and players, we’re looking forward to continuing to support and challenge these women with a view to future success at World and European Team Championships for England, and individual achievements across the amateur game and onto the professional stage. “The new UK-based squad enables us to have a greater impact on players who could transition into women’s England teams in those big events, and the US-based squad remains very strong with all five players contributing to women’s team success in 2023 and inside the world top 170.”
Women’s UK-Based Squad:
- Sophia Fullbrook - Lili-Rose Hunt - Isla McDonald-O’Brien - Nellie Ong Women’s US-Based Squad:
- Jess Baker - Rosie Belsham - Mimi Rhodes - Patience Rhodes - Lottie Woad Sophia Fullbrook (The Melbourne Club, Hertfordshire)
- Reached quarter-finals of R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship - Top-10 finish in Junior Orange Bowl (USA) - Represented England in biennial England v Spain match, Girls’ European Team Championship and World Junior Girls Championship - Part of England Women’s Team which won the Home Internationals Lili-Rose Hunt (Redditch, Worcestershire)
- Runner-up in English Girls’ Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship - Finished in top-20 of all 10 World Amateur Golf Ranking qualifying events in 2023, including the ANNIKA Invitational - Part of England Girls’ Team which won the Home Internationals Isla McDonald-O’Brien (Shrewsbury, Shropshire)
- Won 2023 England Golf Girls’ Order of Merit - Won Fairhaven Trophy by six shots - Reached semi-finals of R&A Girls Amateur Championship - Top-10 finishes at Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open Championship and English Girls’ Open Amateur Championship - Part of England Women’s Team which won Home Internationals - Represented England in biennial England v Spain match, Girls’ European Team Championship and World Junior Girls Championship Nellie Ong (Eaton, Norfolk)
- Finished runner-up at English Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship - Top-10 finishes at English Girls’ Open Amateur Championship, English U18 Championship, Welsh Women’s Open and Scottish Girls’ Open Championship - Represented England at World Junior Girls Championship - Part of England Girls’ Team which won the Home Internationals Jess Baker (Gosforth Park Ladies, Northumberland)
- Featured in pro events; US Women’s Open and The Chevron Championship (USA) - 3rd at The American Championship and also Briar’s Creek Invitational (both USA) - Top-10 finishes at NCAA Palm Beach Regional (USA) and St Rule Trophy - Part of England Women’s Team which won silver at European Ladies’ Team Championship Rosie Belsham (Whitley Bay, Northumberland) - Won Collegiate Invitational at GCC (Mexico) and Rainbow Wahine Invitational (USA) - Top-5 finishes also at T.Hession Regional, Darius Rucker Intercollegiate (both USA) and Copa Andalucia (Spain) - Represented GB&I in Vagliano Trophy - Part of England Women’s Team which won the Home Internationals - Part of England Women’s Team which won silver at European Ladies’ Team Championship Mimi Rhodes (Burnham & Berrow, Somerset)
- Part of Wake Forest team which won NCAA Women’s National Championships (USA) - Won Campeonato Internacional Absoluto de Andalucia (Spain) - Top-5 finishes at St Rule Trophy, ANNIKA Intercollegiate (USA), The Schooner Fall Classic (USA) - Top-10 finishes at Nexus Collegiate (USA), ACC Women’s Golf Championship (USA) - Part of England Women’s Team which won the Home Internationals Patience Rhodes (Burnham & Berrow, Somerset)
- Won St Rule Trophy - Part of England Women’s Team which won silver at European Ladies’ Team Championship - Represented Europe in Patsy Hankins Trophy win over Asia-Pacific - Part of England Women’s Team which won the Home Internationals Lottie Woad (Farnham, Surrey)
- Won ANNIKA Intercollegiate and also the Florida State Match Up (both USA) - 2nd at South American Amateur Championship - Top-5 finishes at Collegiate Invitational at GCC (Mexico), Moon Golf Invitational, NCAA Raleigh Regional, The Schooner Fall Classic, Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational (all USA) - Helped England to highest-ever 4th-place finish at World Team Championship, while also finishing tied-4th in individual standings - Represented Europe at Arnold Palmer Cup - Represented GB&I in Vagliano Trophy - Represented Europe in Patsy Hankins Trophy win over Asia-Pacific - Part of England Women’s Team which won silver at European Ladies’ Team Championship - Part of England Women’s Team which won the Home Internationals