Marilyn Henderson with the trophy and Irish Ladies Golf Union officials (image supplied by Pat Cashman on behalf of the ILGU).

Marilyn Henderson wins Irish senior

women's title at Ardlee's 19th

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Castlerock’s Marilyn Henderson survived a tense play-off to claim victory over Headfort’s Pauline Walsh and her first Irish senior women’s close title at Ardee Golf Club today.
Henderson started brightly and held a one-hole lead from early on through to the turn. After Henderson’s tree trouble on the tenth, Walsh missed from three feet to square the match but made no mistake at the next, comfortably holing out from four feet.
Henderson’s up and down from the sand on the short 13th saved any disadvantage, but Walsh chipped dead on 14 to edge ahead.
The slim lead was maintained through 16, but Henderson’s steady nerve held firm to square the match on the penultimate green. After Walsh failed to hit the target at the 18th, her pitch from the front edge finished four feet short. Henderson’s putt finished just inside, but both failed to hole out, forcing them to go down the 19th.
Walsh failed to find the green in three after her tee shot found water at the first extra hole and Henderson’s regulation par was good enough to claim her first Irish senior women’s close title.
Earlier in the day, Henderson ended Patricia O’Reilly’s (Headfort) hopes of claiming her first victory with a 4 and 2 win, while Walsh dispatched Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford) by the same margin.
Henderson will now lead the Irish team of six, to be announced shortly, at the European senior women's amateur team championship in Ireland - at Dun Laoghaire, from August 31 to September 4.

Today's results:
Semi-finals
Pauline Walsh (Headfort) bt Patricia O'Reilly (Headfort) 4 and 2.
Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) bt Olivia Conroy (Co Longford) 4 and 2.
Final
Henderson bt Walsh at 19th.