CLAIRE AITKEN has capped a momentous year with her golf clubs by winning the Ladies' English Open Mid-Amateur Golf Championship, her fifth scratch tournament success of the season.

The 21-year-old, who plays at The London Golf Club, near Brands Hatch, beat Jenny Pease from Essex 3/2 in a low scoring final at Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire.

She said: "This is so important to me as it's always been my goal to win a national championship. I've been struggling with my confidence and I had a lesson just before I came here which helped.

"I didn't feel 100 per cent confident in my swing but I tried not to think about."

Lacking confidence or not, Claire hit four birdies on the outward half in a final where the lead changed hands a number of times before the par five 16th decided her glorious fate – she scored in regulation while her opponent failed to par the hole.

Claire, who has a handicap of plus-two, is enjoying her best-ever season of golf having won the Hampshire Rose, the Roehampton Gold Cup, the Crichley Salver and the Frilford Heath Scratch Salver.

Her next target is the British strokeplay championship which starts at Conwy, Wales, on Wednesday.