HELEN JONES WINS IRISH SENIORS

OPEN TITLE BY SIX STROKES
NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNIONIrish Senior International Helen Jones (Strabane) was crowned Irish Senior Women’s Open Strokeplay Champion following a six shot victory from Canada’s Lynda Palahnuik at Laytown and Bettystown Golf Club.
Jones led from wire to wire to capture her first Irish title at any level of the amateur game. Her opening 74 saw her lead the field by three strokes and a 78 on day two saw her two ahead of the field going into the final round.
Playing with Wales’ Vicki Thomas in the final pairing, she parred the first four holes to extend her lead as Palahnuik took up the challenge. Both turned one over par but another string of pars saw Jones take command and a birdie at the final eighteenth hole confirmed her well deserved victory.
Sheena McElroy (Grange) signed for an 80 to see her safely ito third place while Thomas had to settle for fourth after a disappointing 83. Pat Doran (Donabate) closed with a 79 to finish fifth while local favourite Phil O’Gorman slipped up with an 83 to tie with Mary Madden (Ballinasloe), after her impressive 79, in joint sixth place.

Ireland’s team of Jones, McElroy and O’Gorman won the team event from Wales with Canada taking third place.

Roma English’s team of Pat Doran (Donabate), Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire), Helen Jones (Strabane), Violet McBride (Belvoir Park), Sheena McElroy (Grange), Mairead McNamara (Woodbrook) and Phil O’Gorman (Laytown & Bettystown) will contest the Senior Women’s Home Internationals at Sheringham in England at the end of the month.
FINAL TOTALS
CSS 76 76 75
228 Helen Jones (Strabane) 74 78 76
234 Lynda Palahniuk (CAN) 77 81 76
235 Sheena McElroy (Grange) 81 74 80
237 Vicki Thomas (WAL) 77 77 83
238 Pat Doran (Donabate) 81 78 79
240 Phil O'Gorman (Laytown & Bettystown) 78 79 83 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 77 84 79
242 Diane Williams (CAN) 83 82 77
243 Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) 80 86 77
245 Karen Pultz (CAN) 81 74 90
246 Mairead MacNamara (Woodbrook) 83 83 80 Catherine Reilly (The Heath) 83 83 80
247 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) 83 81 83 Jean O'Connor (WAL) 81 80 86
248 Gemma Butler (Birr) 89 77 82 Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) 80 86 82
249 Pauline Walsh (Headfort) 79 88 82
252 Rhona Brennan (Bandon) 85 84 83 Alison Murdoch (CAN) 84 83 85 Elisabeth Wendels (SWE) 81 82 89
254 Denise Parker (ENG) 83 85 86

257 Cornelia Fischer (GER) 81 87 89

258 Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell) 92 84 82 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 86 91 81

259 Susan Penman (SCO) 92 85 82 Anna Moloney (Clonmel) 86 86 87

260 Catherine Kavanagh (Mitchelstown) 89 83 88 Valerie Shannon (Lahinch) 87 86 87 Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford) 84 90 86

262 Gill Rouiller (Mannan Castle) 93 87 82 Mary Kavanagh (New Ross) 92 85 85 Adrienne Crowley (Woodbrook) 88 87 87 Hilary Smyth (ENG) 86 86 90 Jane Gardner (Malone) 83 92 87

263 Mary Geaney (Killarney) 89 87 87

266 Judy Collins (CAN) 90 89 87 Barbara Biggart (SCO) 88 90 88

273 Fionnuala McGrady (Dunmurry) 92 88 93

274 Kate Evans (IRL) 89 90 95

WD Patricia McAllister (Laytown & Bettystown) 87 88 Catherine Carty (Tullamore) 88 90
NON QUALIFIERS
183 Kath Stewart-Moore (Royal Portrush) 92 91
184 Marianne Copp (ENG) 95 89
185 Roma English (Larne) 98 87
186 Elizabeth Neville (Athenry) 96 90 Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) 92 94 Sonja Gottschalch (DEN) 92 94
187 Heidi Simpson (USA) 97 90 Maida McGowan (Laytown & Bettystown) 96 91 Trudy Brosnan (Kanturk) 93 94
190 Sheila Bodmer (SW I) 98 92 Maj-Britt Laempe (SWE) 95 95
191 Ann McAuley (Laytown & Bettystown) 102 89
193 Dorothy Thomson (SCO) 99 94
195 Mai McCann (Narin & Portnoo) 99 96
196 Elaine Elborn (Bangor) 99 97
197 Helen O'Donoghue (Clonmel) 102 95
198 Linda Ward (CAN) 98 100
200 Alice O'Neill (Laytown & Bettystown) 94 106
201 Marita Leech (Laytown & Bettystown) 101 100
203 Jenny Cagney (Lahinch) 101 102
222 Angela Mullins (Mitchelstown) 115 107
TEAM EVENT
304 IRELAND
315 WALES
320 CANADA A
337 CANADA B
340 ENGLAND
349 SCANDINAVIA
355 SCOTLAND


IRISH SENIOR WOMEN’S TEAM
Pat Doran (Donabate)
Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire)
Helen Jones (Strabane)
Violet McBride (Belvoir Park)
Sheena McElroy (Grange)
Mairead McNamara (Woodbrook)
Phil O’Gorman (Laytown & Bettystown)


Reserves:
Valerie Hassett (Ennis)
Catherine Reilly (The Heath)