Rose Ladies Series: Gabriella Cowley beats Charley Hull and Georgia Hall in Staffordshire

Cowley finished third, ninth and twelfth in the first four events of the series

Gabriella Cowley dropped three shots into the last three holes and waited four hours before winning the fifth Rose Ladies Series event on Thursday.

The 24-year-old, ranked 576th in the world, was five below after 12 but a double bogey on the 16th and a bogey on the latter saw her lead two below.

England's Georgia Hall and Charley Hull both reached four below, but had double bogeys when they finished one below.

"It was a nervous wait at the clubhouse, but I never lost hope," said Cowley.

"I had my father with me and it was a beautiful day that I will take great confidence in."

Cowley, from Essex, was not out of the top 12 in the first four of the series of eight events, sponsored by big winner and Olympic champion Justin Rose, among others.

And she seemed to be a tough target at the JCB Golf and Country Club in Staffordshire after a run of three consecutive 10th birdies brought her to five and she supported that with three pars.

But when Cowley dropped two shots on the 16th to sink to third, her playing partner Hall made a birdie to take the lead on four.

But the 2018 Women's Open Champion confused her approach to the latter and three-putted for a double bogey to transfer the clubhouse to Cowley .

[1945923] They weren't the only players who staggered in the closing holes. Scottish Heather McRae took over the 16th and 18th and finished second overall in the group.

The English Annabel Dimmock strengthened her last two holes to also get a one-under-71 card, while Hull, who reached four under 12 after 12, had a seven in the par-five 13th and dropped another shot on the 15th.

Wales' Chloe Williams and England's Whitney Hillier also shot 71s to finish joint second.