NEWLY-CROWNED English Ladies golf champion Emma Duggleby has immediately turned her gaze on being the best of British.

The Malton and Norton Golf Club ace swept to the English championship when she beat Ganton GC's Naomi Edwards 2 and 1 in an all-North Yorkshire final at the Aldeburgh course on the Suffolk coast.

Duggleby got off to an ideal start. She won the first four holes as she drove well while her rival, a member of the England Under-21 squad, suffered an attack of nerves.

Edwards, aged 19, gamely battled back as the duo started the inward half of the round. But the wiser and more experienced Duggleby countered again decisively with a victory on the 16th hole that opened what proved an unassailable gap.

Enthused Duggleby, who was also English champion in the year 2000: "I'm delighted. I just played solidly right the way through the week.

"I was second leading qualifer in the stroke-play rounds and then played really well in the quarter-final and semi-final.

"This more than makes up for losing the Yorkshire final the week before.

"I'd never played at Aldeburgh before, but I enjoyed it. It was a lovely course, a bit like Ganton in that has a lot of gorse."

But rather than rest upon her laurels, the 31-year-old Curtis Cup player and Great Britain international, looked ahead to the next big challenge.

She told the Evening Press she was already preparing for the British Championships, which are due to be played at Lindrick GC in three weeks' time.

"That's the next big one for me," said Duggleby, reflecting on one of the best starts to a season she has enjoyed for several years.

Indeed, her opening to this season has only been bettered three years ago when she lifted both the English and Yorkshire crowns. Earlier this month she was pipped to the county championship by Alex Keighley (Lightcliffe).

In lifting this year's English crown, which emulated her achievement of being the top English player three years ago, the champion paid triubute to up and coming prospect Edwards, whom she partners in foursomes while on duty for the Yorkshire women's team.

Said Duggleby: "She played really well during the week and it's good to see someone new from from the area making an impact."

Meanwhile, York golf professional Kirsty Taylor spoiled her chances of a first Evian European Tour victory with a wretched six-over-par second round 78 in the Ladies Open of Portugal.

She led the field at Caparica by two strokes after her opening six-under-par 66, but followed this with a 78 and then a 73 to slip back and finish eight shots adrift of Australian winner Alison Munt.

Updated: 10:42 Monday, May 26, 2003