Brookmans Park's Marie Allen had mixed emotions after winning the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 WPGA One-Day Series event at Forest Pines.
Allen was delighted her level-par 74 gave her a one-shot victory over in-form Joanne Pritchard, but she also rued the rest of her season being very disappointing.
She hit a rich vein of form today, though, and set the pace with three birdies on the front nine and another on the 12th. Although bogeys on 11, 14, 15 and 18 cancelled out the gained shots, it was enough for a narrow victory over Pontypool's Pritchard, who has two one-day series wins to her name this year.
Pritchard threatened late on with birdies on 16 and 17 but a par on the 18th was not good enough to force a play-off.
Rachel Bailey was third on two over, Ormskirk's Alison Gray finished fourth on three over and Tavistock's Laura Eastwood completed the top five on five over.
"Yeah, I'm really pleased but it's also quite disappointing to only do it now, after playing badly in the first five events this season," said Allen.
"I didn't finish that well so I was surprised but pleased to have hung on to the lead.
"I had a very busy spell earlier in the season but things have died down a bit now and maybe that has done me some good. Maybe it has helped not having so much golf on."
"It was a fantastic course," she said. "It's in amazing condition considering how many people play it and the recent wet weather.
"The greens were particularly good and I putted really well which was probably the main reason for me winning today."
Updated RCW2010 WPGA One Day Series Order of Merit