The fine line between success and failure was painfully evident at Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club today.

Hampshire ladies, having already defeated Leicestershire & Rutland and Glamorgan, needed to avoid defeat against Yorkshire to be crowned English Ladies' Golf Association County Champions for the first time since 1995.

As many expected, the silverware showdown was close - Yorkshire edging this morning's foursomes 2-1.

The six afternoon singles matches swung to the hosts then back to Yorkshire before Hampshire's Layla Ahmed and Kim Crooks produced a thrilling finale.

Going down the last all square, Ahmed needed to win the hole to secure overall victory for her team, captained by Bridget Moore.

Crooks, with the honour, ripped her drive down the left of the fairway, leaving herself about 75 yards to thee flag.

Ahmed went further left off the tee, finishing in the left semi rough and with 90 or so yards left to the pin.

Showing little sign of the nerves that she must have been feeling, Ahmed took her time before delivering a wedge shot of near perfection that finished close to three foot from the stick to send the crowded greensside gallery of close to 200 into vigorous applause.

Crooks replied with with a slightly overhit approach, which ran three paces through the green. However, she regrouped to chip virtually dead. This meant Ahmed had to hole to win.

Her birdie putt, which had a left to right swing, was struck firmly enough but caught the left edge of the hole and failed to drop. Crooks duly cleaned up what she had left to bring Yorkshire victory.

Although naturally disappointed not to have won, Hampshire captain Moore was full of praise for her team: "They've done really brilliant. I can't fault anyone. They have all contributed during the week."

On the final hole drama she aadded: "I feel for Layla but she played a brilliant shot into the green. The putt missed but that's how it goes sometimes."

For full story see Tuesday's golf pages.