Olivia Costello is dreaming big this summer as well a teenager should with her sights set on individual and team success.
Costello’s two big goals are to qualify for the Irish team at next month’s European Ladies Team Championship on home soil at Slieve Russell which will hopefully have her bouncing into the KPMG Women’s Irish Open where she is dreaming of becoming the first Irish winner of the event at the K Club.
The 18-year-old has been in fine form this season so there is no reason why either goal should appear out of reach but her presence on the Irish team next month would surely be welcome and add an extra bit of depth to what looks to be a talented side including Curtis Cup star Beth Coulter.
“I hope to make the Ladies European Team Championships, it would be unbelievable to make that team in Slieve Russell being at home and playing in front of a home crowd,” said the Roscommon Golf Club star.
“You see what a difference it makes going away and I was in England last year and to see the support the English girls got so that’s a big one that I would like to get on.”
Costello first made her appearance at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open as a fourteen-year-old at Dromoland Castle and will be one of the best amateurs on show at the K Club South course in August when it comes around.
With Irish participation numbers continuing to rise since it was brought back to the schedule in 2022, hopes are high for a home victory this year.
“I want to get myself ready for the KPMG Women’s Irish Open and I would love to get into contention and into a position it would be unbelievable. It’s the thing that your mind drifts off to in practice ‘this is the putt to win the KPMG Women’s Irish Open’ to make that happen is what I am working towards.”
The LSU bound golfer clinched the Irish Girls title earlier in the season and has been knocking on the winning door in Women’s events with finishes of 3rd, 6th and 2nd at the Irish Women’s, Women’s West and Women’s East respectively.
This is the first year that provincial events were added to the women’s Golf Ireland schedule and Costello feels they have been a hit.
“They’re great. The idea is brilliant it puts more of a title towards it and makes it feel bigger like the Men’s events. It does put them into their own light. I played the East at Woodbrook and I know it so well playing in the Scratch Cup since I was ten and it was really nice to be in that kind of atmosphere with all the members.
“They are big events that we want to win and it’s been a great idea from Golf Ireland to bring some importance to events.”
Costello returns to competitive action next week at the North of Ireland Women’s Championship.
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