Wilson in defence of Irish Girls Close Championship Title

 

IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION NEWS RELEASE

The Irish Under-18 Girls' Close Championship will take place this week, from Wednesday to Saturday (July 15-18) at Galway Bay Golf Club. Annabel Wilson (Lurgan) will seek to defend her title which she won for the first time last year at the age of 13. She overcame 2014 Irish women's champion Mary Doyle (The Heath) on the 15^th green.

 Since her win last year, Annabel, pictured right in action during the Junior Vagliano Trophy match, has been capped for Ireland and Great Britain and Ireland (GB and I). She has played for Ireland at Home International level and represented GB and I at the Junior Vagliano Matches at Malone Golf Club last month.  

Wilson will face a difficult battle to retain the title as Irish team-mates Niamh McSherry (Lurgan), Ciara Casey (Hermitage), Valerie Clancy (Killarney), Julie McCarthy (Forrest Little) and Mairead Martin (Killarney) will also be looking to secure a win this week. 

Up and coming players such as Co. Sligo’s Maeve Rooney, Eleanor Metcalfe (Laytown and Bettystown) and unbeaten 2015 Munster inter-provincial player, Clodagh Jones (Roscrea) will all be hoping for a top place finish at Galway Bay. 

An additional incentive for the competing field will be the announcement following the Championship of the eight-strong Irish Girls’ International team who will compete in the Girls Home International Matches at Lanark GC from August 5 to 7.

 The team will be captained by Gemma Butler (Birr) and managed by Irene Poynton (The Island).

 The Championship is limited to 72 competitors who will play 36 holes strokeplay qualifying on Wednesday with the top 32 players qualifying for the championship matchplay flight. The first round losers in the championship will contest the plate while the non-qualifiers will play Stableford competitions on days 2 and 3.

The Christy O’Connor Jnr designed course combines the stunning backdrop of Galway Bay with mature trees, water hazards, concealed bunkers and highly acclaimed putting surfaces. 

The PGA Championship course will most likely present a challenge to Ireland’s elite and up and coming Under-18 female amateur golfers. 

 

Draw - Wednesday 15 July (36 hole strokeplay qualifying)
1^st/10th tee     Player (Club)
08:00 13:00      Annabel Wilson (Lurgan), Julie McCarthy (Forest Little)
08:10 13:10      Mairead Martin (Killarney), Molly Dowling (Lucan), Catriona Griffin (Killarney)
08:20 13:20      Alice Hutchinson (St. Anne's), Ciara Magill (East Clare), Gemma McCarthy (Clonmel)
08:30 13:30      Clodagh Jones (Roscrea) Katie Rafferty (Tipperary) Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden)
08:40 13:40      Lisa O'Shea (Shannon) Clodagh Walsh (Castlewarden) Maeve Cummins (Lurgan)
08:50 13:50      Maeve Rooney (Co. Sligo) Roisin Timothy (Roscommon) Laura Ryan (Dun Laoghaire)
09:00 14:00      Anna Foster (Elm Park) Lorna Mullally (Tuam) Sarah Molloy (Kilkenny)
09:10 14:10      Georgia Carr (Milltown) Ailbhe Bourke (Enniscrone) Jill Jennings (Carlow)
09:20 14:20      Niamh Carmody (Tralee) Emma Guinane (Limerick) Clodagh Coughlan (Douglas)
09:30 14:30      Ellen Nolan (Grange) Cliodhna Drury (Dun Laoghaire) Sophie Dodd (Enniscrone)
09:40 14:40      Caoimhe Slemon (Bearna) Siobhan Behan (Killeen) Niamh Mulrooney (Kilkenny)

10^th/1st tee     Player (Club)
08:00 13:00      Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) Ciara Casey (Hermitage)
08:10 13:10      Valerie Clancy (Killarney) Victoria Craig (Royal Belfast) Katie Aherne (Waterford Castle)
08:20 13:20      Eleanor Metcalfe (Laytown & Bettystown) Rachel Thompson (Cork) Sarah Lacey (Castleknock)
08:30 13:30      Ciara Leonard (Mitchelstown) Aideen Walsh (Woodstock) Elisa Corcoran (Grange)
08:40 13:40      Clare Calvert (RCDL) Nicole McGavisk (Donabate) Sara Byrne (Douglas)
08:50 13:50      Grace McGrath (East Cork) Chloe O'Connor (Roscommon) Aoife Ní Thuama (Douglas)
09:00 14:00      Eibhlin McCarthy (Killorglin) Kate McElroy (Faithlegg) Ellen O'Gorman (Milltown)
09:10 14:10      Sarah Burke (Mullingar) Aine Donegan (Woodstock) Katie Keenan (Kilkenny)
09:20 14:20      Roisin O'Brien (Roscommon) Niamh Cronin (Co. Sligo) Shannon Hegarty (Ennis)
09:30 14:30      Jan Browne (Kilkenny) Stephanie Glennon (Grange) Annie Harpur (Naas)
09:40 14:40      Leah Temple-Lang (Seapoint) Fiona Behan (Killeen) Anna Dawson (Tramore)
09:50 14:50      Seana McGuinness (Greenore) Kaelin O'Keeffe (Ballykisteen) Aoibhin Maher (Limerick)

 

Sarah Crowe | Public Relations