Chloe Court has lifted her fourth Sussex Ladies Championship title in five years.

But it was not the formality it seemed when the 22-year-old from Goodwood established a four-holes lead on leaving the eighth green at Worthing.

Karen Sykes looked down and out and indeed her many supporters at Worthing must have felt the chance of a third county title was beyond the recovery powers of their club champion.

But suddenly Karen's game came together with the sinking of a 15-yarder for a birdie at the ninth. When Chloe sent her tee shot into thick semi-rough at the 11th, there was another chance for Karen to pull a hole back. The deficit was reduced to one at the next when Karen's short game proved superior to Chloe's, a single putt putting a different aspect on an intriguing final.

It was evenly poised and the turning point came at the 159-yard 14th when both needed woods into the wind to find the green. It was then that Chloe's birdie putt restored her lead to two.

Such was the strength of the biting wind that it moved balls on the Spring greens which made putting tricky. Two halves sent them down the 17th where Chloe had to hole a tricky one from four feet to win by 2 and 1 and leaving Karen the bravest of losers.

Chloe plays in the Scottish Open at Troon this weekend as part of a dedicated full-time occupation.

Already a member of the Great Britain squad, Chloe plans to turn pro next year after the Curtis Cup.

The distinction of leading the 16 qualifiers belonged to Karen with Chloe two strokes away on 154.

Leading medal scores: 152: Karen Sykes (Worthing) 78, 74. 154: Chloe Court (Goodwood) 74, 80. 163: Aileen Greenfield (Pyecombe) 83, 80. 167: Jo Galway (ESN), 83, 84. 168: Sara Young (Crowborough) 81, 87; Denise Rosewarne (Bognor) 89,79.

Plate final: Paula Carver (Worthing) beat Chris Coxhead (Highwoods) 1 and 1.

Matchplay results: Karen Sykes (Worthing) beat Teresa Ward (Royal Eastbourne) 5 and 4. Paula Carver (Worthing) beat Daisy Kane (West Sussex) 2 and 1. Denise Rosewarne (Bognor) beat Karen Benton-May (Crowborough) 2 and 1. Marisa Newman (Royal Eastbourne) lost to Jo Galway (ESN) 3 and 2. Aileen Greenfield (Pyecombe) beat Doreen Simpson (West Sussex) 7 and 5. Jean Newbon (Ham Manor) beat Sara Young (Crowborough) 3 and 2. Amy Pemberton-Hill (Worthing) beat Amy Yeates (Ham Manor) one up. Chloe Court (Goodwood) beat Chris Coxhead (Highwoods) 7 and 6.

Second round: Sykes beat Kane 3 and 2; Galway beat Rosewarne 8 and 7; Greenfield beat Newbon 7 and 6; Court beat Pemberton-Hill 8 and 7.

Semi-finals: Sykes beat Galway 2 and 1; Court beat Greenfield, 19th.

Final: Court beat Sykes 2 and 1.