Maria Dunne goes wire-to-wire in Irish Women's Open Strokeplay
Irish Women's Open Stroke Play Championship winner Maria Dunne (Skerries) with the Reddan-Garvey Trophy at County Louth Golf Club. Picture: Jenny Matthews/cashmanphotography.ie)
Philomena Garvey and Clarrie Reddan made County Louth a watchword for Irish women's golf with their multiple championship wins and Curtis Cup exploits.
And so it was fitting that 33-year old Curtis Cup star Maria Dunne, a dedicated career amateur, should birdie the last to clinch a two-stroke, wire-to-wire win over England's Sophie Lamb (71) and Gemma Clews (76) in the Irish Women’s Open Stroke Play Championship at the famous Baltray links and hoist the Reddan-Garvey Trophy.
After firing 10 birdies in a nine-under-par 66 to take the first-round lead, Dunne added a 76 in Saturday's high winds to share top spot with recently crowned Welsh Ladies Open Strokeplay champion Clews going into the final day.
Clews was two ahead after six holes, but when she three-putted for bogey at the 11th, Dunne holed a 10 footer for birdie there to draw level, then proved the stronger over the closing holes, carding a two-under-par 73 to win by two shots on nine-under par 216. Scores
“I didn’t start off very well — I bogeyed the first and missed a birdie chance on the short second but I stayed patient and knew that with the wind direction there were some birdie chances on the back nine and I rolled a few nice putts in on the closing holes,” Dunne said.
She was just one ahead of clubhouse leader Lamb with two holes to play but holed a ten footer for par on the 17th, then rolled in an eight-footer for birdie on the 18th to seal her two-shot victory.
“I am absolutely delighted," Dunne said. "It was nerve wrecking! I just tried to focus on my own game and keep going one shot at a time. That’s easy said but I really tried to stick to it today.
"Once I realised I was a couple of shots ahead of my playing partners I said to myself to just par the last four holes and not worry what the others are doing. I managed to get a nice birdie on 18, which was a great way to wrap it up!”
Irish Women's Open Strokeplay, County Louth (Par 75)
216 M Dunne (Skerries), 66, 76, 74
218 S Lamb (England), 71, 76, 71; G Clews (England), 67, 75, 76
221 K O’Connor (Wales), 72, 74, 75; L Bailey (England), 71, 73, 77; C Kauffmann (Germany), 69, 76, 76
223 L Brunt (England), 78, 72, 73; G Price (England), 74, 72, 77; R Thompson (Cork), 73, 76, 74
224 S Schmidt (Germany), 75, 78, 71
225 A Bergner (Germany), 70, 77, 78
227 A Plumb (England), 75, 78, 74; E Briggs (Scotland), 75, 76, 76; R Meekers (Netherlands), 72, 77, 78
228 S Sexton (Lahinch), 74, 77, 77
229 C Goadby (Scotland), 76, 76, 77; P Grant (Lisburn), 75, 76, 78; S Fuller (England), 73, 79, 77; L Simpson (Massereene), 72, 76, 81
230 A Bailey (England), 74, 78, 78
231 C Paassen (Netherlands), 76, 75, 80
232 H McCook (Scotland), 78, 79, 75; C Sattelkau (Germany), 77, 77, 78; C Casey (Hermitage), 76, 74, 82; P Mack (Germany), 73, 78, 81
233 D Smith (Co. Louth), 77, 75, 81; L Coffey (Malone), 75, 80, 78; J Bailey (England), 75, 77, 81; M Martin (Kanturk), 72, 81, 80
234 O Winning (England), 77, 78, 79; V Clancy (Killarney), 74, 75, 85
235 J Ryan (Wales), 81, 78, 76; J Ross (Clandeboye), 78, 81, 76; A Coyle Diez (Elm Park), 74, 79, 82
236 G Macdonald (Scotland), 77, 78, 81
237 L Walsh (Castlewarden), 77, 80, 80; A Donegan (Woodstock), 74, 84, 79; S Byrne (Douglas), 72, 84, 81
238 B Rook (England), 78, 79, 81; M ROONEY (Co. Sligo), 76, 83, 79
239 B Bjornsdottir (Iceland), 80, 74, 85; M Doyle (The Heath), 79, 81, 79; H Hall (Enniscrone), 78, 81, 80; G Coughlin (England), 78, 81, 80; T Bettle (Germany), 75, 81, 83
241 B Coulter (Kirkistown Castle), 80, 77, 84; L Temple Lang (Elm Park), 76, 84, 81
242 E Forbes (Royal Portrush), 74, 80, 88
243 K O’ Neill (Douglas), 75, 83, 85
245 R Brady (Co. Louth), 81, 79, 85
RTD S Cunningham (Ennis), 78, 82
MC
161 D van Houten (Netherlands), 77, 84;
162 A Lowry (Tipperary), 81, 81; G Carr (Milltown), 79, 83;
163 G Lewis (Wales), 81, 82; K Gillum (England), 78, 85;
166 K Dwyer (Rossmore), 79, 87;
168 J Browne (Kilkenny), 85, 83; E O’Gorman (Milltown), 84, 84;
171 N McGavisk (Donabate), 88, 83; L Murray (Delgany), 84, 87;
173 A Wandrey (Germany), 87, 86;
174 A Bourke (Enniscrone), 82, 92;
175 L Hanratty (Mannan Castle), 86, 89;
178 C McCarthy (Dun Laoghaire), 92, 86; A Hutchinson (St. Anne’s), 84, 94;
179 C Hopkins (Woodbrook), 87, 92;
181 J O’Driscoll (Muskerry), 92, 89;
183 K O’Hart (Arklow), 94, 89;
186 C Mc Canny (City of Derry), 94, 92
RTD C O’Connor (Roscommon) 99 RTD
