Coulter shares overnight lead in Woodbrook
Beth Coulter in action at Woodbrook during the Flogas Irish Women's and Girls' Amateur Open Championship. Photo: Thos Caffrey / Golffile.
Kirkistown Castle’s Beth Coulter returned to hit a blistering 68 for a share of the first-round lead and a course record in the Flogas Irish Women’s and Girls’ Amateur Open Championship.
The 19-year-old defending AIG Irish Women’s Close champion, who is just back from collegiate action with Arizona State, is tied on six-under with holder Lorna McClymont (Milngavie) after round one at Woodbrook.
It was an ideal day for golf and Coulter finished with four birdies in her last five holes to join her playing partner McClymont after the Scot bogeyed 18.
“I got going on the back nine and it was nice to roll in a few putts there at the end,” said Coulter.
“The front nine, Lorna lit it up and then on the back nine I had a few more birdies. Just trying to keep Lorna in tight, it was fun towards the end. 18 gives me a bit of momentum going into tomorrow, the back nine too, it was nice to hole that putt because I needed it.
“It was bittersweet coming home early but it was great having this week. It’s an Irish championship and one I will be looking to play well in.”
Lorna McClymont hitting a tee shot during the Flogas Irish Women's and Girls' Amateur Open Championship. Photo: Thos Caffrey / Golffile.
Welsh golfer Luca Thompson shot 69 to hold the course record for a few hours on Friday morning as she took the clubhouse lead on -5. Six birdies helped her draw clear of the field in perfect conditions.
Kate Lanigan (Hermitage) was best of the Irish at that stage with three birdies in her closing four holes enough for a 71. One of her playing partners, England’s Jess Hall, had a hole-in-one on the 13th and she also finished up on -3.
But the scores continued to improve as the day went on and reigning champion McClymont had nine birdies in all to get to -7 before she dropped a shot at the last.
“It was pretty good, the greens were really good, the course was really good, nice weather as well,” said McClymont.
“It’s good to come back, I guess it does a little bit (add pressure) but it’s just golf, you just play your game and hope for the best.
“It’s been a good season so far, I want to keep the birdies coming.”
Flogas Irish Women's & Girls' Amateur Open Championship (Woodbrook, Par 74)
68 B Coulter (Kirkistown Castle GC), L McClymont (Milngavie Golf Club)
69 L Thompson (Pavenham Park)
71 J Hall (Bishop Auckland), K Lanigan (Hermitage)
72 O Costello (Roscommon), H Lee-McNamara (Royal Portrush)
73 C Coughlan (Douglas), M Joyce-Moreno (Club de Golf Llavaneras)
74 K Dillon (Oughterard), N O 'Grady (Blackbush), B Persson Lidgren (Lunds akademiska golfklubb), P Rhodes (Burnham & Berrow), R Scanlon (Woburn)
75 S McGuinness (Greenore), E O Shaughnessy (Co. Louth), K O'Connor (West Byfleet), A Pitts (Cainhoe Wood), A Walsh (Lahinch)
76 C Brook (Parkstone GC), N Coffey (Woodbrook), A Dawson (Tramore), E Fleming (Elm Park), T Hatton (Abbekås Golfklub), E Murray (County Louth), O Williams (Churchill and Blakedown)
77 A Abom (Edmondstown), L Cullen (Beaufort Golf Club), K Dwyer (Rossmore), E Liljeberg (Vasatorps GK), M McLoughlin (County Sligo), E O'Gorman (Laytown & Bettystown), C Shippam (Ballykisteen)
Flogas Irish Women's & Girls' Amateur Open Championship (Woodbrook)
78 G Mayo (Royal Porthcawl), A Molloy (Sandy Lodge), K Mulholland (Moyola Park), S Phillips (Woodbrook), K Poots (Knock)
79 F Birch (Pyle & Kenfig), T Eakin (Dooks), F Halpin (Dun Laoghaire), E Holmgren (Djursholms Golfklubb), R McDonnell (Elm Park), J O'Gara (Grange), V Prietzel (Goring & Streatley), D Walsh (Milltown)
80 O Darcy (Naas), C Hewitt (Woodbrook), C Hopkins (Woodbrook), K O'Brien (Howth), C O’Grady (Blackbush), E Park (Edmondstown), L Webb (Royal Portrush), E Wojnar (Grange Golf Club)
81 S Clafton (Wallasey), G McMullen (The Island), S Park (Grange)
82 S Bullock (Castletroy), L Dancis (CartonHouse), H Guerin (Royal Tara), S O'Brien (Elm Park)
83 A Burke (Killarney), E Cantwell (Esker Hills), L Grattan (Tralee), E Lundqvist (AIK Golf), C McGonagle (Portsalon), Z McLean-Tattan (Romford), J Pang (Milltown), R Taylor (Laytown & Bettystown)
84 L Kelly (Ballykisteen)
85 A Martin (Kanturk), E Moynihan (Tralee)
86 E Fenlon (Grange)
87 E Lonergan (Westport), L Murray (Woodbrook)
88 P Bleakley (Shandon Park), M MacLaren (Royal Portrush), S Ni Cheilleachair (Tullamore)
89 S McCooey (Powerscourt)
90 L Bradfield (Waterford Castle), E Earl (Thorndon Park), C McCarthy (Woodbrook)
97 J Pang (Milltown)