HANNAH Turland, the exciting 11-year-old Tidworth golfer, was the star turn for Wiltshire women as they tied 4 1/2 4 1/2 with Somerset at Tall Pines, writes ERNIE NEWELL.

Turland, who earned a crucial point in her debut for the full county team in Wiltshire's recent 6 1/2 5 1/2 victory over Dorset at Ashley Wood, maintained her winning ways with an impressive maximum two-point performance against Somerset.

In an exciting encounter at the Bristol club, the two counties shared both sessions, the morning foursomes 1 1/2 1 1/2 and the afternoon singles 3-3.

Turland, a seven-handicapper who sprang to prominence last year when she won the South West girls' under 15s championship, linked up with Castle Combe champion Jo Jo Candy to score Wiltshire's sole point in the foursomes with a three and one victory over Jane Martin-Scott and Rosemary Spragg.

Turland then went out and overwhelmed Spragg in the singles by eight and seven with some marvellous sub-par golf, which included a hole in one.

Candy was in good form too, following her foursomes win with Turland with a three and one victory over Martin-Scott in the singles.

Cumberwell champion Claire Hobbs was also undefeated. She halved the top foursome with Sue Sutton, the four-times Wiltshire champion from Ogbourne Downs, against former European Tour player Beverley New and Louise Worth and then defeated Glenda Latham by five and four in the singles.

Foursomes: Claire Hobbs (Cumberwell Park) and Sue Sutton (Ogbourne Downs) halved with Beverley New and Louise Worth; Jo Jo Candy (Manor House, Castle Combe) and Hannah Turland (Tidworth) beat Jane Martin-Scott and Rosemary Spragg 3/1; Anne Ferguson (Ogbourne Downs) and Sarah Waugh (Tidworth) lost to Glenda Latham and Amanda Mayne 4/3.

Singles: Sutton lost to New 1 down; Waugh lost to Mayne 2/1; Hobbs beat Latham 5/4; Turland beat Spragg 8/7; Candy beat Martin-Scott 3/1; Ferguson lost to Worth 2 down.

"The tie was our best result against Somerset since 2003 and an excellent boost for next week's four-county South Western (Northern Division) Championship at Royal Porthcawl," said skipper Sue Dix, from Kingsdown.

Dix is taking a squad of 10 players to the Glamorgan club for the three-day championship, comprising the six who tied with Somerset, plus county champion Carly Boulton (Wrag Barn) former champion Gill Loughrey (Wrag Barn) Di Gritt (Tidworth) and Jo Shorrocks (Hamptworth).

Wiltshire, who have yet to win the title, won one of their three fixtures in the round robin and tied another to finish third to Gloucestershire during the first of Dix's two years as captain at Wrag Barn last spring.

And the skipper is hoping for better things next week.

She said: "Although we finished third last year we played very well and hope to improve on our position.

"The squad is an excellent blend of youth and experience and the team spirit is high."

Wiltshire begin their challenge for the title on Wednesday when they play champions Gloucestershire.

They meet Monmouthshire on Thursday and host county Glamorgan on Friday.