CHEPSTOW'S Ellie Willis bounced back from the disappointment of being left out of the Wales squad for the European Team Championships to win the national girls' title.

Willis and Swansea's Dylan Thomas both played in the Home Internationals last season and summer work on their game paid dividends at the Girls and Boys Championships, held jointly at Carmarthen Golf Club.

Both came out on top against players who had featured in the European Team Championships for Wales, Willis victorious over Isle of Wedmore's Harriet Lockley and Thomas beating Pyle and Kenfig's Tom Peet.

"It's a bit surreal," admitted Willis after her victory. "I had not had the best season so far, so I had no expectations coming here, I just wanted to play well and do my best against some really good internationals.

"I played well in the stroke play so I had belief in myself coming into the match play and blocked the pressures out of my mind.

"I was in the European and Home International teams last year, which was a boost for my confidence too, but then I went through some swing changes which were a bit of a slow burner.

"I learned a lot from those events, especially about the mental side of match play and I think I found those processes which really help me."

Willis, 18, works in the pro shop at St Pierre but now plays out of Bristol and Clifton Golf Club.

She is hoping to earn a golf scholarship in America, also studying strength and conditioning.

She beat Ham Manor's Ellen Nicholas inn the semi-final, Emily James of Royal Lytham and St Anne's in the quarter-final, while Lockley overcame Radyr's Alice Thomas in the semis and Southerndown's Emilie Lewis in the quarters.