Dominant Coulter wins AIG Irish Women's Close
Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle). Photo © Thos Caffrey/Golffile
Beth Coulter has set her sights on next week’s Women's Amateur Championship after cruising to an impressive 6&5 win over Douglas’ Sara Byrne in AIG Irish Women's Close final at Grange.
The Kirkistown Castle (18) star only finished 11th in qualifying but she moved up a gear in the matchplay to win with a dominant performance.
Edmondstown’s Anna Abom took her to the 18th in the semi-finals but she never went further than the 15th in her other four matches.
“I suppose in stroke play it's all about qualifying and it doesn't matter where you do it, first or 32nd,” said Coulter, who will be going for a third successive Irish Girls title in Kilkeel this summer.
“It was great to gain a bit of confidence from those early matches though and then go and finish the job today.”
The final was a repeat of the 2019 Irish Girls' Close decider at Galway, where Coulter beat the then Irish Women's Close champion Byrne, who beat Clandeboye’s Rebekah Gardner 4&3 in the semis.
“This is the third time I've played Sara in a final, I thought she was maybe going to go out and do it, third time lucky for her,” said Coulter, who was runner-up last year. “But I got out of the blocks quickly and kept my foot on the pedal and thankfully it went my way.”
Setting her sights on next week’s British Amateur, she said: “It's been a marathon. I'll celebrate this tonight at home and get ready for the next one.”
AIG Irish Women’s Amateur Close Championship, Grange
Semi-Finals
Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle) bt Anna Abom (Edmondstown) 1 hole;
Rebekah Gardner (Clandeboye) lost to Sara Byrne (Douglas) 4&3.
Final
Coulter bt Byrne 6&5.
