Coulter leads AIG Irish Women's Close qualifiers at Ballybunion
Beth Coulter. Picture © Golffile Thos Caffrey
Kirkistown Castle teenager Beth Coulter continued her fine run of form when she carded rounds of 73 and 79 to top the qualifiers in AIG Irish Women's Amateur Close Championship at a testing Ballybunion.
After finishing fourth in qualifying for the Women’s Amateur Championship at Kilmarnock (Barassie) last week, she made five birdies in a level par 73 in the morning to lead by three strokes from Ballybunion’s Emma O’Driscoll, Douglas’ Sara Byrne and Castlewarden’s Clodagh Walsh.
Scoring was far tougher in the afternoon winds but despite taking a quintuple bogey nine at the 17th, Coulter still topped the leaderboard by one stroke from Lahinch’s Aine Donegan (77-76) and by two shots from part-time golfer O’Driscoll ((76-78) on seven-under.
“I’ve never played anything as tough as today,” said Coulter, who faces Foyle’s Hannah Lee-McNamara in the first round. “Qualifying for the Matchplay was the main thing, but to get the top spot is nice.
“I’ve had a really good run of tournaments, and all have been on links. I’m playing well, and holing a few putts.”
O’Driscoll, who works for the sports agency that now manages rookie professionals John Murphy and Tom McKibbin, used her local knowledge to card rounds of 76 and 78 tie for third with Byrne (76-78) on eight over as the cut for the top 32 who will contest the matchplay fell at 30-over.
“I’m a bit shocked to be honest,” said O’Driscoll, who now faces Douglas’ Aoife Ni Thuama. “I haven’t been playing much. The course is in great condition but played really tough. It’s tough for everyone out there.
“I know where not to hit it in the coming days. That doesn’t mean I wont hit it there. I have a bit of an advantage knowing the course so well, but at the same time, golf is a funny game. I played well today, but that doesn’t mean I will tomorrow.”
Lahinch star Donegan felt at home on the Kerry links, explaining: “I played better in the evening when the wind picked up. It’s a similar course to Lahinch, so I know the course, and it suits my game.”
Douglas golfer Byrne is studying at the University of Miami but was happy to be back on the links on home soil.
“Today was all about keeping the head, and not posting high scores,” said Byrne who now meets Ballykisteen’s Lauren Kelly. “It played really tough and was a rough slog. We all had high numbers today, but thankfully myself, Beth and Aine minimised the damage.”
AIG Irish Women’s Close Ballybunion (Par 73)
152 B Coulter (Kirkistown Castle) 73 79 (Leading qualifier)
153 A Donegan (Lahinch) 77 76
154 E O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) 76 78; S Byrne (Douglas) 76 78
156 C Shippam (Ballykisteen) 82 74
157 K Lanigan (Hermitage) 81 76
159 M Martin (Kanturk) 82 77; R Thompson (Cork) 81 78; V Clancy (Killarney) 80 79
160 O Costello (Roscommon) 80 80
162 A Foster (Elm Park) 78 84
163 S Burke (Ballinrobe) 84 79; C Walsh (Castlewarden) 76 87
164 K Poots (Knock) 86 78; D Smith (Co. Louth) 83 81
165 E Fleming (Elm Park) 82 83; A Dawson (Tramore) 81 84; K Dwyer (Rossmore) 78 87
166 R Gardner (Clandeboye) 82 84; J Browne (Kilkenny) 79 87
168 C Griffin (Killarney) 87 81
170 C Coughlan (Douglas) 86 84
172 M Sheehy (Tralee) 87 85; K Dillon (Oughterard) 82 90
173 L Murray (Woodbrook) 94 79; H Guerin (Royal Tara) 88 85; P Walsh (Doneraile) 87 86; N O'Dwyer (Lahinch) 86 87
174 L Kelly (Ballykisteen) 88 86
175 A Ni Thuama (Douglas) 87 88
176 V Conlon (Enniscrone) 89 87; H Lee-McNamara (Foyle) 85 91
Non qualifiers
177 A Burke (Killarney) 90 87
178 A Abom (Edmondstown) 92 86; A Thompson (Cork) 87 91
179 M O'Hara (Clandeboye) 92 87
181 E O'Gorman (Milltown) 96 85
182 E Gilmore (Westmanstown) 90 92; L Temple Lang (Elm Park) 89 93
183 N O'Grady (Black Bush) 91 92
184 C Maxwell (Royal Curragh) 94 90
185 R Connolly (Youghal) 102 83; O McCrystal (Holywood) 96 89
187 B O’Brien (Roscommon) 93 94
188 A Greham (Ballina) 95 93; A Bowler (Lucan) 95 93
189 E O'Shaughnessy (Castleknock) 97 92; E Lonergan (Westport) 94 95; E Walsh (Limerick) 92 97
190 M McLoughlin (Co. Sligo) 100 90
191 S Real (Castletroy) 93 98
193 S Reynolds (Co. Sligo) 95 98
194 E Morrow (Galway Bay) 100 94
195 A Moynihan-Rudden (Killarney) 98 97; M Harty (Galway) 95 100
196 C Fanning (The Island) 96 100
197 X Rama (Carton House) 104 93; T Coen (Athenry) 99 98
200 A Arthur (Killarney) 106 94; L Guest (Lee Valley) 106 94
201 M McNamara (Athenry) 107 94
202 A Quinn (Dun Laoghaire) 99 103
203 E O'Donnell (Killarney) 95 108
219 H Fogarty (Castlecomer) 105 114
RTD 120 S Sharp (Royal Tara)
RTD 94 A Courtney (The Island)
RTD 112 L Murphy (Newlands)
