Aideen Walsh (Lahinch) has taken the lead at the top of the Women’s Bridgestone Order of Merit with a two-shot victory on home soil enough for her to claim the Lahinch Women’s Scratch Cup and a 54-point lead over Anna Abom (Edmondstown).
Coming into the event Abom held a 74-point lead over 2023 Vaughan Trophy winner Emma Fleming (Elm Park) but with neither woman part of the 58-strong field teeing it up at the county Clare venue on Saturday there was scope for change at the top end of the Bridgestone Order of Merit.
With home advantage on her side Walsh opened with the best score of round one, a level par 74 handing her an early two-stroke lead. Round two, however, proved difficult for the entire field with only nine competitors, including Walsh, signing for rounds of 80 or better. Woodbrook Women’s Scratch Cup winner Mairead Martin (Kanturk) and Mary Dowling (New Ross Golf Club) battled hard to chase down the local favourite, but Walsh held on to clinch the win by two.
The victory takes Walsh from fourth to first in the Women’s Bridgestone Order of Merit as she looks to take one step further and claim the overall title following her second-place finish in 2023. Abom fell to second place and the Edmondstown golfer is joined there by Kanturk’s Mairead Martin whose win in Woodbrook and second-place finish in Lahinch sees her climb the leaderboard again.
The women’s schedule continues next week as the Carlow Women’s Scratch Cup takes place over two days on 20 and 21 of April followed by the Cork Scratch Cup on 27 April.
The men still have a few weeks to prepare for their chance to make a move on their Bridgestone Order of Merit. The Munster Men’s Strokeplay Championship gets underway in Cork on 4 May with Keith Egan (Carton House) the man to chase at the top of the leaderboard.
View the latest Bridgestone Order of Merit standings here
Leave a comment