3 Irish women's open amateur stroke-play this weekend

Vagliano Trophy team trio lead Irish

bid to repel overseas challenge

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Vagliano Trophy team-mates, Danielle McVeigh and Leona and Lisa Maguire will lead the Irish challenge at this weekend’s 3 Irish Women’s Open Strokeplay at Douglas Golf Club in Cork.
The trio, selected yesterday on Mary McKenna’s nine-member GB&I team, join a strong field which sees 32 overseas competitors travelling from Australia, England, Finland, France, Germany, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa and Wales.
With a host of Senior and Junior Internationals on show, McVeigh and the Maguires will need to be at their best to lift the silverware on Sunday afternoon. England’s Rachel Jennings and Hannah Burke join Scotland’s Carly Booth and Jane Turner while Australia is strongly represented by 2007 champion Stacey Keating and international team-mate Julia Boland.
Many internationals will use the championship to prepare for the Women’s and Girls’ European Team Championships in early July.
Other Irish contenders will be Niamh Kitching (Claremorris), Aedin Murphy (Carlow), Mary Dowling (New Ross) and Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush), all recently selected on Ireland’s team for the Europeans, while Gillian O’Leary (Cork), Maria Dunne (Skerries), Catherine Tucker (Limerick) and Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) are sure to feature on the final day.
Last year’s winner Breanne Loucks, from Wales, beat Scotland’s Roseanne Niven by three shots with then 13-year-old Lisa Maguire finishing in third place. Loucks has since secured her Ladies European Tour card, entitling her to full playing rights on the LET for the 2009 season.
Chief Executive of the ILGU, Sinéad Heraty, believes the deal with 3 will provide a welcome boost to the support of elite women’s golf in Ireland: “The 3 Irish Women’s Open Strokeplay will ensure a top-class overseas entry for this year’s championship. With the number of international players increasing each year, our own home players get the opportunity to compete with Europe’s best and grow their International experience. We are delighted to welcome 3 as a major sponsor of top level women’s amateur golf”.
Rachel Channing, PR and Communications Director at 3 said: “3 is the magic number for Irish golf and we are delighted to sponsor the 3 Irish Women’s Open Strokeplay championship. We will bring our energy and innovation into assisting the ILGU with what is a wonderful tournament. With such an impressive field of golfing talent, this year’s championship promises to provide a great day of action in Co. Cork.’
Two rounds of 18 holes will commence at 7.30am on Saturday morning with the top 40 plus ties playing the final 18 holes on Sunday. With no entry fee for spectators, the tournament provides the perfect opportunity to see the sensational Maguire twins compete on home soil alongside Europe’s elite amateurs. The final round starts 8am on Sunday with the leaders teeing off around 10am.
SATURDAY TEE TIMES
1st and 10th tees:
07:30 & 12:50: Laura McCarthy (Muskerry), Anne McCormack (Roscommon), Lucy Simpson (Massereene).
07:40 & 13:00: Sarah Murray (Co Louth), Jean Farrell (Youghal), Lynda Maher (Charleville).
07:50 & 13:10: Patrice Delaney (Birr), Sarah Crowe (Tipperary), Emma Gilmore (Mountbellew).
08:00 & 13:20: Sinead O'Sullivan (Galway), Charlene Reid (Royal Portush), Ciara Butler (Newlands).
08:10 & 13:30: Vivian Gallin (Ger), Naoimh McMahon (Shannon), Claire Keating (Charleville).
08:20 & 13:40: Rachel Jennings (Eng), Emilie Alonso (Fra), Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co. Down Ladies).
08:30 & 13:50: Annika Korkeila (Fin), Laura Murray (Sco), Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge).
08:40 & 14:00 Corisande Lee (Eng), Stacey Keating (Aus), Niamh Kitching (Claremorris).
08:50 & 14:10 Pamela Pretswell (Sco), Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wal), Gillian O'Leary (Cork).
09:00 & 14:20 Rebecca Watson (Sco), Laure Castelain (Fra), Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth)
09:10 & 14:30 Charlotte Wild (Eng), Rebecca Flood (Aus), Aedin Murphy (Carlow)
09:20 & 14:40 Kym Larratt (Eng), Carly Booth (Sco), Mary Dowling (New Ross).

10th and 1st tees:
07:30 & 12:50 Karen O'Neill (Douglas), Catherine Tucker (Limerick), Suzy Sheehan (The Island)
07:40 & 13:00 Daisy-May Kenny (Eng), Aoife Lowry (Tipperary), Lillian Harrington (East Cork).
07:50 & 13:10 Rhona Brennan (Bandon), Linda Toomey (Limerick), Ailish Thompson (Douglas)
08:00 & 13:20 Nicole Garcia (SAf), Louise Coffey (Malone), Sarah Cunningham (Ennis)
08:10 & 13:30 Jerry Lawrence (Eng) Gemma Bradbury (Wal), Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion)
08:20 & 13:40 Tara Watters (Eng), Caroline Bon (NZ), Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor)
08:30 & 13:50 Fiona Howard (Eng), Sarah Faller (Galway), Sue Phillips (Woodbrook)
08:40 & 14:00 Tilly Holder (Eng) Amy Boulden (Wal), Karen Delaney (Carlow)
08:50 & 14:10 Minna Vvorenpaa (Fin), Kelly Tidy (Eng), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell)
09:00 & 14:20 Charlie Douglass (Eng), Manon Gidali (Fra), Rachel Cassidy (The Island)
09:10 & 14:30 Hannah Burke (Eng), Julia Boland (Aus), Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell)
09:20 & 14:40 Jane Turner (Sco), Tara Davies (Wal), Maria Dunne (Skerries)