The Irish Girls’ Close Championship returns to Ulster this week and Irish Women’s Close Champion Sara Byrne (Douglas) will have an opportunity to make history at Clandeboye when she tees off tomorrow morning alongside Irish Girls’ teammates Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle) and Aine Donegan (Woodstock).
Since the inception of the Girls’ Close in 1961 no player has won both the Irish Women’s and Girls’ Close titles in the same year. IGM’s Mary Doyle came close in 2014 as she won the Women’s title at Enniscrone but was subsequently beaten in the Girls’ Close final by Annabel Wilson (Lurgan).
Uniquely, in 2008, both trophies went to the same household as Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) won the Irish Girls at Mullingar and sister, Leona, secured her first Women’s Close at Westport, with both of course now plying their trade in the professional ranks.
Also in the field this week is Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden) who made her Senior International debut at the European Ladies Team Championships last week. Walsh has already claimed the Connacht Women’s Championship this year and will be vying for her first National Girls’ title to continue her strong 2018 season.
Fresh from their win at the Girls’ Interprovincial Matches last week, all seven of the Leinster Girls’ team will be in action at Clandeboye including Jan Browne (Kilkenny) and Katie O’Hart (Courtown) who were the only players to remain unbeaten at Castle Dargan.
Competitors will play 36 holes qualifying on Wednesday 18th July before the top 32 girls progress to the Matchplay stages, with defeated first round players competing for the Plate.
Scoring will be available HERE from Wednesday 18th July
Qualifying Drawsheet
R1 R2
1st tee 1st tee Player (Club)
07:30 12:45 Walsh, Lauren (Castlewarden) Clancy, Valerie (Killarney)
07:40 12:55 Byrne, Sara (Douglas) Coulter, Beth (Kirkistown Castle) Donegan, Aine (Woodstock)
07:50 13:05 Carr, Georgia (Milltown) Foster, Anna (Elm Park) Lanigan, Kate (Hermitage)
08:00 13:15 Temple Lang, Leah (Elm Park) Dwyer, Kate (Rossmore) O’Dwyer, Niamh (Lahinch)
08:10 13:25 Screene, Canice (Hermitage) Fleming, Emma (Elm Park) Browne, Jan (Kilkenny)
08:20 13:35 O’Hart, Katie (Courtown) Behan, Fiona (Killeen) Dawson, Anna (Tramore)
08:30 13:45 Thorne, Emma (Elm Park) Poots, Katie (Knock) Masding, Lucia (Old Conna)
08:40 13:55 Bowler, Ada (Lucan) O’Connor, Chloe (Roscommon) Hunt, Olivia (Burhill)
08:50 14:05 Gardner, Rebekah (Carnalea) McClurg, Olivia (Belvoir Park) Hegarty, Shannon (Ennis)
09:00 14:15 Rodgers, Ellen (Royal Portrush) O’Hara, Molly (Clandeboye) McCrystal, Olivia (Holywood)
09:10 14:25 Walsh, Emily (Limerick) Griffin, Corrina (Killarney) Masterson, Kate (Naas)
09:20 14:35 Brennan, Ciara (Belvoir Park) McGuinness, Seána (Greenore) McMillen, Tess (Clandeboye)
09:40 14:55 O’Keeffe, Kaelin (Tralee) Laverty, Tara (Royal Portrush) Fenlon, Emma (Grange)
09:50 15:05 Murphy, Kathryn (Lisburn) Lohan, Sinead (Portumna) O’Grady, Caoimhe (Black Bush)
10:00 15:15 Moorhead, Rebekah (Tandragee) Greham, Annabel (Ballina) Rama, Xhemi (Carton House)
10:10 15:25 Kelly, Lauren (Ballykisteen) Shippam, Caitlin (Ballykisteen) Fleming, Kate (Elm Park)
10:20 15:35 Fleming, Laura (Elm Park) Connolly, Roisín (Youghal) Burke, Alicia (Killarney)
10:30 15:45 McMillen, Heidi (Holywood) Park, Evelyn (Edmondstown) McBrearty, Mary Beth (Letterkenny)
10:40 15:55 Moorhead, Kathryn (Tandragee) Burke, Caitlin (St Patrick’s) Browne, Aoife (Lurgan)
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