Teen golfer Ellie Mans given first taste of pro competition in Rose Ladies Series at Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club

LOCAL 16-year-old golfer Ellie Mans played her first professional golf event in the Rose Ladies Series at Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club.

Mans, who plays at Brokenhurst and Barton on Sea clubs, finished as the joint-second-highest amateur, five-over-par with a gross 75.

The two-time Brokenhurst Manor Ladies’ Champion had superb wedge play throughout the event, but too many putts slipped by with just two of her 10 birdie opportunities converted.

In the third event of this year’s Rose Ladies Series, Hayley Davis triumphed, finishing five shots clear of the field after registering a four-under-par 66.

Highlights of the 18-hole tournament were shown on the Sky Sports.

Mans, who has a +1 handicap and has been an SW England U18 squad member for the past two years, was in good hands on the Brokenhurst Manor fairways with her caddy for the day, PGA and England Southern Boys & Hampshire Girls coach, Kevin Flynn.

Match referee Stuart Mitchell said: “Ellie played so well; she definitely looked at home amongst these great golfers.”

Mans said the Brokenhurst Manor course was “in awesome condition, the greens were just perfect, such a joy to play on.”

The Rose Ladies Series is organised by professional golfer Justin Rose, his wife and former international gymnast Kate Rose, and local golf professional Liz Young.

The series was launched during the early part of the pandemic to give players the chance to compete during the Ladies European Tour’s Covid-19-enforced shutdown. However, it is now back for its third year.

The talented teen first picked up golf clubs at the age of six before making her county debut four years later. She also played for U10 Hampshire & IOW County Cup tennis team and Dorset county hockey 2016-19 before playing in the Junior Netball World Cup in 2019.