Dowling to Lead Irish Challenge at Irish Women’s Open Stroke-play
NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
New Irish champion Mary Dowling (New Ross) will lead the Irish challenge at the Women’s Open Strokeplay at Newlands Golf Club, Dublin, over the upcoming bank holiday weekend.
Dowling, who beat Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) in the final of the Women’s Close last week, is enjoying a magnificent run of form and will be joined by international teammates Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor), Aedin Murphy (Carlow), Gillian O’Leary (Cork) and Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush) as Ireland seek to keep the trophy on home soil following Lisa Maguire’s victory at Douglas last year.
That challenge will be strongly met by the 34 overseas competitors travelling from Australia, England, Germany, Luxembourg, Scotland, Spain, South Africa and Wales. With 28 of the 72 strong field playing off a handicap of scratch or better, the cream of the women’s amateur game will be on show at Newlands. Defending Champion Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), her sister Leona and Danielle McVeigh (RCDL) will miss this year’s Championship as the Curtis Cup team makes their final preparations for the showdown against the USA in Boston in two weeks time.
Recently crowned St. Rule Champion Laura Murray (SCO) and runner up Amy Boulden (WAL) will lead the overseas challenge along with 2007 Champion Stacey Keating (AUS) and last year’s runner up Hannah Burke (ENG). Other players likely to feature on Sunday afternoon are Nicola Roessler (GER), Justine Lee (AUS), Roseanne Niven (SCO) and the ever impressive youngster Kelly Tidy (ENG).
Many internationals will use the tournament to prepare for the Women’s and Girls’ European Team Championships in early July while the Irish players will seek to impress the selectors who are due to announce their selections on Monday.
72 competitors will play 36 holes stroke play on Saturday with the top 40 playing a final 18 holes on Sunday.
1st and 10th tees Saturday 5th June
07:30 13:00 Shauna O'Brien (Clonmel) Emma Murphy (Wexford) Nicola Coffey (Woodbrook)
07:40 13:10 Jessica Carty (Hollywood) Amy Farrell (Moate) Aoife Lowry (Tipperary)
07:50 13:20 Sinead O'Sullivan (Galway) Monique Smit (RSA) Leigh Whittaker (GER
08:00 13:30 Charlotte Ellis (ENG) Megan Briggs (SCO) Hermione Fitzgerald (ENG)
08:10 13:40 Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) Roseanne Niven (SCO) Tara Davies (WAL)
08:20 13:50 Sinead Benedetti (Roscommon) Caoimhe Quinn (Dungannon) Linda Toomey (Limerick)
08:30 14:00 Charlie Douglass (ENG) Gillian O'Leary (Cork) Louise Kenney (SCO)
08:40 14:10 Caroline Murphy (Grange) Agnes Doherty (Ballyliffin) Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush)
08:50 14:20 Amy Boulden (WAL) Mary Dowling (New Ross) Jessica Speechley (AUS)
09:00 14:30 Fiona Briggs (ENG) Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) Sandra Atkinson (Woodbrook)
09:10 14:40 Julie Yang (SCO) Ellie Robinson (ENG) Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge)
09:20 14:50 Nicola Roessler (GER) Maria Dunne (Skerries) Jenna Birch (ENG)

10th and 1st tees Saturday 5th June
07:30 13:00 Barbara Cooney (Laytown & Bettystown) Jenny Hennessy (Ennis) Paula Grant (Lisburn)
07:40 13:10 Louise Coffey (Malone) Karen O'Neill (Douglas) Anna Carling (WAL)
07:50 13:20 Sue Phillips (Woodbrook) Katherine O'Connor (WAL) Emma Sheffield (ENG)
08:00 13:30 Anne McCormack (Roscommon) Sarah Crowe (Tipperary) Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint)
08:10 13:40 Nikki Foster (ENG) Gemma Bradbury (WAL) Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor)
08:20 13:50 Niamh O'Connor (Woodbrook) Kate Gallagher (Claremorris) Mary Leahy Browne (Kilkenny)
08:30 14:00 Stacey Keating (AUS) Charlotte Wild (ENG) Claire Hargan (SCO)
08:40 14:10 Lauren Mackin (ESP) Samantha Birks (ENG) Karen Delaney (Carlow)
08:50 14:20 Ashley Ona (AUS) Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush) Alisa Theunis (LUX)
09:00 14:30 Holly Robinson (Co. Sligo) Lily Owens (Malahide) Verity Scott (ENG)
09:10 14:40 Laura Murray (SCO) Hannah Burke (ENG) Laura McCarthy (Muskerry)
09:20 14:50 Justine Lee (AUS) Aedin Murphy (Carlow) Kelly Tidy (ENG)