WILMSLOW Golf Club is gearing up for next week’s major event.

A top-class field will gather at the venue from Tuesday for the English Women’s Closed Amateur Championship.

Flying the flag as a Wilmslow Golf Club member will be Charlotte Leatham, who will be aiming to put her course knowledge to her own advantage

Local hopes will also focus on Bel Wardle from Prestbury, who already holds the English open title and will be targeting a special double.

Wardle defeated Leatham in the final of the Cheshire Ladies Championship at Wilmslow Golf Club in May, taking the title for a record fourth time

The 18-year-old, a double winner of the English Ladies and English Girls Championships in 2017, is one of a number of high-profile players in the 72-hole strokeplay championship, which runs for three days.

Among them are three members of the GB&I Curtis Cup team – India Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), Annabell Fuller (Roehampton) and Sophie Lamb (Clitheroe).

The trio, together with Lianna Bailey (Kirby Muxloe), will arrive at Wilmslow straight after this week’s European women’s team championship, where they have been defending England’s gold medal.

Another five players are representing England in the European girls’ team championship and will also be making the quick turnaround.

They are Ebonie Lewis (Long Ashton), Martha Lewis (St George’s Hill), Hannah Screen (Berkhamsted), Caitlin Whitehead (Carus Green) and Amelia Williamson (Royal Cromer).

The championship has attracted a strong entry from Cheshire with 10 players in the field, including six members of the county team.

Alongside county champion Wardle and homester Leatham are Poppy Finlay (Vicars Cross), Lucy Jamieson (Heswall), Lauren Jones (Mellor and Townscliffe) and Emily McBurney (Delamere Forest).

Also playing is Sue Dye of Delamere Forest, who is a past winner of England’s two senior women’s championships.

Wilmslow is one of the oldest golf clubs in Cheshire and has been on its present site for more than 100 years.

The course is well known as a great test of golf and has hosted regional qualifying for The Open, professional events and those for top amateurs, including the 2013 English Women’s County Finals.