Christine Pascall and Trish Johnson have both been awarded MBEs.
Former England Girls champion, Christine Pascall, has been appointed MBE in the King’s Honours List for services to the sport of golf.
Pascall, who was also president of England Golf in 2023, has enjoyed a wonderful career in the game, in which she has also given a tremendous amount back.
During her career, Pascall won the 1972 English Girls Championship and represented the England Under 18 Team in the same year. She was part of the England Ladies’ Team from 1979-1981, and played in both the European Ladies’ Team Championships and Fiat Trophy in Italy in 1979.
Pascall was also part of two Curtis Cups Squads, while at county level she has been county champion of Durham four times, while also being Durham Seniors champion in 2005 and Northern Senior Champion in 2006.
Pascall captained England at the European Young Masters, and the Girls’ Home Internationals seven times – winning all of them, and also led England to victory on three of four occasions captaining the Ladies’ Home Internationals. She also led England in the European Girls’ Team Championship and two World Girls’ Championships in Canada.
The Hartlepool Golf Club board member has been an England selector for 13 years for each of the ladies and girls’ squads, while in Durham, Pascall has undertaken many roles including Durham Seniors captain, Northern Seniors captain, county captain, training officer and girls’ coaching coordinator, while she has also been on the Durham Junior Girls’ committee for 16 years, and a ladies voting member for four years.
She said: “It hasn’t really sunk in yet. I am delighted for golf that I have been awarded the MBE. Not that I have ever thought about reward for all I have put into golf, but receiving this award makes all the hard work worthwhile.“I hope it will encourage more girls and women into the game so they can get the same enjoyment from it as I have.
“My proudest moment was becoming England Golf president in 2023, it was a great year and I thoroughly enjoyed all the events I attended, watching some superb golf, attending dinners, and most of all, meeting the officials at the golf clubs who were always so proud of their golf courses.“It has also been great selecting and seeing golfers coming through the system and playing for England.”
Asked what golf means to her, Pascall admitted: “Golf is a way of life to me, almost every day I am involved in some area of golf whether it’s girls’ coaching or junior events at Hartlepool, or carrying out work for the Board at my club, selecting England teams, or even just watching golf.
“It’s also been very rewarding when I’ve received thanks from golfers with whom I have had involvement, without realising the impact I had on them – the unexpected thanks.”
Looking to the future of the game, Pascall added: “Most of my time in golf has been with girls and women but during the time as president of England Golf, it has given me a bigger appreciation of all forms of the game.
“I would love to see more girls and women coming into the game, as well as more mixed golf. I’d like to see more unions and associations merging, and more men and women playing in the same competitions at club level.
“I’d also like to see more people coming forward to volunteer. When people come forward to volunteer, they normally enjoy it so much that they want to do more. We need more volunteers at club and county level for a variety of different jobs.
“I have achieved so much from playing golf, but I have had so much pleasure and enjoyment from volunteering.”
Meanwhile, Trish Johnson has been appointed MBE for her services to women’s golf.
Born in Bristol in 1966, Trish Johnson was South Western Champion as an amateur in 1983 and 1984. She was also both England Under-23 and Under-21 champion in 1984, and in 1985, she won the English Women’s Amateur Championship, the English Women’s Stroke Play Championship, and won the England Under-23 title once again.
In 1986, she represented GB&I in the Espirito Santo Trophy, World Amateur Golf Team Championships and the Curtis Cup, the latter where she won maximum points.
In March 1987, Johnson turned pro and won three tournaments in her first year, being named Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour.She won four events in 1990 and the Order of Merit, before going on to win an overall 19 tournaments on the Ladies European Tour.
Johnson finished in the top-10 of the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit on 13 occasions, including 2nd place in 2000 and 2004, winning the BMW Ladies Italian Open in 2007. She also has three wins on the LPGA Tour including the Las Vegas LPGA in 1993.
A member of the European Solheim Cup team on eight occasions from 1990 through to 2007, she also teamed up with Dame Laura Davies to represent England at the 2007 Women’s World Cup of Golf.
In her senior career, Johnson has won six events on the Legends Tour, including three senior women’s major golf championships – the 2017 and 2021 Senior LPGA Championship, and the 2023 US Senior Women’s Open.
On being appointed MBE, she said: “I’m over the moon to receive such a prestigious honour, just for being lucky enough to play the game I love! My only regret is that my mum and dad are not here to see it, but I know they’ll be looking down with a huge smile on their faces, proud as punch!!”
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