Maldon golfer Fiona Smith is celebrating after being crowned the Essex County Ladies' Champion.

Playing at Chigwell, Fiona, 19, beat Jean Johnson 7 & 6, Karen Griffiths 4 & 3, Jodie Dartford 2 & 1 and last years champion Liz Gibson 2 & 1 to become the champion.

Fiona is a member of the Warren Golf Club in Woodham Walter and in addition to being a regular member of the Essex Ladies Team, she has represented the England Girls Under 18 team on two occasions.

She plays off a 5 handicap, and her Coach at The Warren, David Brooks, said of her championship triumph: ''It was a fantastic result and great reward for all the hard work that Fiona has put in over the winter''.

Expressing her delight at becoming the Essex champion, Fiona, who is taking an Administration and Secretarial Diploma at Chelmsford College, said: "My aim is to win the county championship again next year, and naturally to reduce my handicap further."

Fiona, who lives with her parents, Sandra and Richard (who are members of Maldon Golf Club), has two elder sisters, Sarah and Elizabeth, who, according to Fiona, have no interest in golf at all, so the sporting connection runs in at least part of the family!

Fiona is pictured right at the Warren Golf Club with the trophies she won after becoming the Essex Champion.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.