Third place for Maria Dunne in All India Ladies Amateur

Maria Dunne in action at Hermitage back in 2013. Picture: Pat Cashman

Maria Dunne is looking to her Christmas break and a great 2017 after she finished third in the USHA 100th All India Ladies Amateur Golf Championship in Delhi.

As Malaysia’s Nur Durriah Damian beat Indian teenager Diksha Dagar 7 and 5 in the 36-hole final, Dunne defeated Tsai Wei Chia of Chinese Taipei 3 and 2 in the third place play-off over 18 holes

“It was a close match all the way until I holed a great putt on the 13th to go  one up,  then birdied the 14th to go two up,” Maria reported from Delhi Golf Club.

“The 15th was halved in pars and on the 16th I hit my approach to six feet and my opponent had tree trouble from her second shot so she gave me the hole and match without having to putt. 

“All done here ready for home now & a nice break over Christmas after an amazing year.”

Dunne was invited to take part in the Vagliano Trophy panel practice session at The Belfry next week but must work instead before taking time off to re-charge her batteries after a sensational 2016 saw her win a Curtis Cup call up and help Great Britain and Ireland to a memorable win over the USA at Dun Laoghaire.

“Winning the Curtis Cup was definitely the highlight,” she said. “I can’t make it to next week’s Vagliano Trophy squad session though as we don’t arrive home until late Monday night and it’s back to work for me on Tuesday. So I have to give The Belfry a miss.”

As for the final of the All India Ladies Amateur Golf Championship, the greater experience of leading qualifier Nur proved to be the difference.

But while she won 7 and 5, it was far close than that with Diksha, a student of Mount St. Mary’s School in New Delhi, giving her a run for her money.

Diksha, who has a hearing impairment and has been using a hearing aid since the age of six, has won four of the eight tournaments she has played in India this season.