Katie Thompson was the 11-year-old sensation of the Hampshire Women's Golf Championships at the Marriott Meon Valley Golf and Country Club.

The girl who holed in one at Meon Valley when she was just nine, became the youngest ever qualifier for the county event after shooting rounds of 79 and 82 on her home course.

Then Katie went one better and beat former champion Sue Pickles by two holes in the first round of match play.

Her brave effort ended in the quarter-finals when she ran up against Curtis Cup player Kerry Smith and lost 4-3.

Defending champion Smith plays new junior champion and Waterlooville clubmate Layla Ahmed in this morning's semi-finals with Tracey Boyes from Meon Valley and Channel Islander Jenny Deeley going for the other final slot.

Smith had predictably led the qualifying stages with rounds of 70 and 77 - three better than former champion Chris Quinn of South Winchester who carded 74 and 76. Another big Meon Valley hopeful Boyes was third with 77 & 76.

Three times champion Helen Wheeler went through as fifth qualifier but the Hockley ace tripped up to Di Holt in the first round of matchplay. Today's final is due to start at 1.30pm.

Match play results:

First round: K Smith beat T Pink 7 & 6, K Thompson beat S Pickles two up, D Holt beat H Wheeler one up, L Ahmed beat J Shergold 6 & 5, T Boyes beat T Wilmont 4 & 2, K Hough beat A Silk 2 & 1, J Deeley beat J Chamberlain 4 & 2, C Quinn beat J Ray 3 & 2.

Quarter-finals: Smith beat Thompson 4 & 3, Ahmed beat Holt one up, Boyes beat Hough one up, Deeley beat Quinn one up.

Justin Rose was well off the first round pace when he began his defence of the Crowns Championship in Japan yesterday.

The 22-year-old Hampshire player three-putted twice on his way to a three over par 73 - 11 shots off the lead.

Matt Blackey, from Bassett in Southampton, fired a four under par 68 to move into a tie for sixth place in the first round of the Italian Open at Lake Garda.

The former Hampshire amateur champion made his move after turning in level par and a run of four birdies in five holes took him within four shots of leader Peter O'Malley. Salisbury's Gary Emerson bogeyed the last three holes to finish one over, the same score as Stoneham's Richard Bland who was one under until taking a seven at the par five fifth.