A promising golfer won the Essex Schools Golf Championships on Monday, beating the rest of the field by seven strokes and smashing her own course record in the process.

Ashleigh Greenham, 16, from North Chingford, won the overall competition as well as the Girls section shooting a gross 65 which was six under par.

Her total was five better than the previous course record, which also belonged to Ashleigh, of 69.

The teenager has enjoyed an extraordinary year having been chosen to represent England Girls Under-16s in their match against Spain in August.

Ashleigh won both her matches Foursomes one up and Singles four and two before playing in the pre-qualifying event for the British Women’s Open where she came joint fifth.

Despite narrowly missing out on a place in the Open at the final stage of qualifying Ashleigh has had an impressive year overall.

As well as being chosen to represent her country, the teenager was part of the Essex Ladies County team that won the County Championship, she won the Sundridge Park Ladies Scratch Open and retained the Camberley Heath ladies title where she posted a round of 65.

Off the course Ashleigh has also hit some impressive results this year as she earned 11 A stars in her GCSEs at Forest School.

Ashleigh plans to stay at Forest for the next two years where she will do her A-Levels before venturing to the Unites States to progress her golf career.

Ashleigh’s dad Martin said: "Ashleigh has had to miss some golf this year because of exams but like so many things in sport you don’t always have control over what goes on.

"In her heart of hearts I’m sure she’d like to turn pro but she has something to fall back on and she knows anything can happen in the future."

Ashleigh’s aim at the start of the year was to get her handicap to plus two which she has now achieved.

Her next major golf competition will be the National Championships which start in May.