Vicki Thomas had to fight to be the best golfer in her own household in Bargoed, never mind the best of the rest in Wales and beyond. The eldest of three golfing highly talented sisters, she led the way by winning the Welsh Girls title in 1973. Where she led, Kerri (1976) and Mandy (1979) soon followed. With their mother, they all played together in the Welsh club championships.
Kerri was second in the Welsh Amateur Championships in 1975, while Mandy won the title in 1980 and 1981. The first of Vicki’s seven eight titles came in 1979 and she then had to beat Mandy in the 1982 final to win it for the second time. As well as her eight Welsh closed titles, she also won the Welsh Open Stroke Play crown three times and was runner-up three times.
She played internationally for Wales for 28 years (1971-1998) and was a Curtis Cup player for GB & Ireland on six occasions (1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992). In 1986, at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kansas, she was in the team that ended a 30 year wait to win the trophy and notch the first triumph on American soil. She was also a winner in 1988 and 1992. She also competed in six Vagliano Trophies for GB & Ireland, never finishing on the losing side, four Commonwealth tournaments (Edmonton, Perth, Christchurch and Northumberland) and one Espirito Santo Trophy. She also played for Wales in nine European Team championships and was part of the side which secured a runners-spot at Turnberry in 1987.
As she entered the ranks of the Seniors there were no signs of her success slowing down. She was crowned Senior Ladies British Open Amateur Champion in 2009 at the Pyle & Kenfig club – 19 years on from winning the British Strokeplay title.
Vicki Thomas (nee Rawlings – Golfer) Born in Northampton in October, 1954
