Scotland expect to make European senior

semi-finals in Ireland next week

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Defending champions Sweden seek their second successive title when Ireland plays host to the 15 nation European senior women’s amateur team championship at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club from Monday, August 31 to Friday, September 4.
France look likely to be Sweden’s strongest challengers for the title with Virgine Burrus and Cecilia Morgue d’Algue hoping to repeat their successful victories of 2006 and 2007.
Spain’s Vicky Pertierra and Catalina Castillejo should lead their side to a top four finish while Lorna Bennett and Fiona de Vries join a formidable Scottish line-up expecting to make the semi-finals.
Host nation Ireland will be led by close champion Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) while Helen Jones (Strabane), Violet McBride (Belvoir Park), Phil O’Gorman (Laytown & Bettystown) and Sheena McElroy (Grange) are sure to feature regularly in team captain Roma English’s (Larne) line-ups.
Competitors will play two rounds of 18 holes stroke-play qualifying over the parkland lay-out on Monday and Tuesday. The top eight teams then progress to the top flight of matchplay from Wednesday through to Friday, while the remaining seven teams play for the minor placings. The newly designed Dun Laoghaire course is sure to produce very worthy winners on Friday afternoon as a mixture of men's and women's tees will ensure a challenging test for competitors throughout the week.
With no admission fee, spectators are encouraged to travel and support their national teams, while taking the opportunity to sample Dun Laoghaire’s excellent facilities both on and off the course.
More information on the 2009 European Senior Ladies’ Team Championship, including Live Scoring throughout the event, is available at www.ilgu.ie