[2] The following year she had two rounds of 72 in the Ladies' British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Long Ashton, to lead after 36 holes, but fell away badly on the final day.

[7][8] She also made her senior debut for England in the European Ladies' Team Championship in Milan and in the Women's Home Internationals in Wrexham where she won all her five matches.

[11][12] In July she reached the semi-finals of the Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship, losing to Becky Morgan.

[13] She continued to have good results in stroke-play events, finishing a joint runner-up behind Sarah Gallagher in the English Women's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship and runner-up to Christina Kuld in the Ladies' British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship.

[1] In 1997 Ratcliffe was runner-up in the Ladies' British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship for the third successive year, behind Karen Margrethe Juul.

[16] Playing with Fiona Brown, Ratcliffe won the 1998 Women's International Four Ball at the Orangebrook Golf and Country Club in Florida.

[17][18] In May she won the English Women's Amateur Championship at Walton Heath beating Liza Walters at the 19th hole in the final.