CLEOBURY Mortimer golf prodigy Emily Price has been backed to star on the world stage after scooping the English Women’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship.

The 16-year-old emerged victorious by two shots ahead of namesake Georgia Price after a tense battle with her rivals in the final round at Bristol and Clifton Golf Club.

It marked Price’s fourth victory of the year on the back of successes in the Scottish Girls’ Open Championship and two scratch tournaments prior to a break for her GCSEs.

And with Price, who finished on seven under par, becoming the second-youngest winner of the prestigious crown, the top brass at her club believe the sky is the limit.

Graham Pain, one of the proprietors of Cleobury Mortimer, told the Ludlow Advertiser: “We have seen Emily here for several years now and the amount of practice she commits herself to is phenomenal.

“Through the worst weather in the depths of winter, she still tirelessly works on her game. She is definitely one to watch and I think we will see her on the Ladies’ European Tour or in the United States in no time at all.

“I believe her long-term plan is to do a golf scholarship in America and with the way she works on her game, there is no doubt she will be a big name in the future.

“The maturity she has displayed in some of these matches against high-quality international fields has helped her to come up trumps so we are incredibly excited about her future.

“We have seen many golfers come through here and turn professional but Emily is the one exceptional talent that stands out. She could make it to the big time.”

The title, contested by female amateur golfers, was battled out over four rounds, the final two being played on the last day of action.

Price began with a round of 74 but followed that up with a vast improvement, recording a 67 to move into contention for the top prize.

Emily then registered one-under in the third but Bude & North Cornwall’s Georgia Price was still in front by three strokes with another Cornish talent, Emily Toy, in second.

But Toy fell away as the tension built and Price narrowed the gap with a birdie and then seized the initiative with an eagle on the third.

Emily wobbled with dropped shots on holes nine and 10 but as Georgia suffered a nightmare spell, steady pars were enough until a late birdie sealed the deal.

"It was just unbelievable," said Price. "It meant a massive amount to win with this being one of my last events of the season.

"It was hard to come back (after a break for her studies) but I have worked really hard over these past few weeks and everything fell into place.

"I played a pretty solid game in the (final) morning and still came in three behind but I was up for a bit of a fight to try to come out on top.

"Having played the first few really well, I then had a rough couple of holes but it all came down to mental focus and hitting fairways and greens."