CADDIE'S LAST-HOLE BLUNDER COSTS HELEN IRISH SENIORS TITLE

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Finland's Minna Kaarnalahti fired a final round 77 to win the Irish Senior Women’s Open Strokeplay title by one stroke from Helen Jones, Pauline Walsh and Alison Bartlett at Greenore.
Playing ahead of the final two pairings, Kaarnalahti birdied the tenth hole and in spite of a bogey on fourteen, held her nerve to birdie the last and set the clubhouse target at 238. Pauline Walsh (Headfort) had earlier in the day set a sensational target of 239 after leap frogging the field with a best-of-the-tournament 73.
After the penultimate pairing of Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) and Catherine Reilly (The Heath) failed to feature, focus turned to the final pairing of Helen Jones (Strabane) and Royal Dornoch's Alison Bartlett (SCO).
Jones, two ahead of the field playing 18, failed to get up and down from the left hand trap to card what she thought was a closing bogey. In controversial circumstances however, a spectator reported Jones’ caddy for raking her footprint before the sand shot was played and the Rules Officials had no option but to impose an additional two stroke penalty.
Bartlett carded a regulation par to sign for a 78 and third place while Jones’ treble bogey at the last not only cost her the Championship but relegated her to fourth place on card count back.
Once the dust settled in the scorers’ tent, a disappointed Jones emerged to congratulate Kaarnalahti on her first appearance in the Irish Senior’s blue ribband event. Ireland A won the Nations Cup from Ireland B with Wales and Canada following closely behind.
FINAL THREE-ROUND TOTALS
PAR 222 (3X74) CSS 77 75 76
238 Minna Kaarnalahti (FIN) 78 83 77
239 Pauline Walsh (Headfort) 87 79 73 Alison Bartlett (SCO) 84 77 78 Helen Jones (Strabane) 79 78 82
240 Sheena McElroy (Grange) 81 81 78
243 Vicki Thomas (WAL) 85 80 78 Pat Doran (Donabate) 82 83 78
244 Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) 83 78 83
245 Catherine Reilly (The Heath) 81 80 84
246 Carol Wickham (Laytown & Bettystown) 80 83 83
248 Ivy Steinberg (CAN) 87 78 83
249 Ruth Lindley (ENG) 85 80 84 Diane Williams (CAN) 84 82 83
250 Fionnuala McGrady (Dunmurry) 80 91 79
251 Jean O'Connor (WAL) 83 81 87 Mairead MacNamara (Woodbrook) 80 85 86
253 Jackie Quinn (Co. Louth) 89 79 85 Adrienne Crowley (Woodbrook) 86 85 82 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) 80 85 88
254 Gertie McMullen (The Island) 84 82 88
256 Allyson Harrison (CAN) 97 81 78 Eileen MacMullen (Bundoran) 89 83 84 Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast) 85 81 90 Kay McCartan (Greenore) 85 87 84
258 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 86 91 81 Valerie Shannon (Lahinch) 82 85 91
259 Gill Rouiller (Mannan Castle) 86 84 89
260 Marleen Nijhof (BEL) 89 86 85
261 Kate Evans (Frilford Heath) 86 93 82 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 86 88 87 Sally Casey (Seapoint) 86 88 87
262 Sigrid Johannesen (DEN) 85 87 90
263 Rosemary Howell (Co. Louth) 91 82 90
264 Pat Bennett (ENG) 94 85 85 Judy Collins (CAN) 90 86 88
265 Sue Pidgeon (ENG) 89 84 92
266 Ita Donnelly (Dundalk) 89 90 87
267 Pamela Williamson (SCO) 87 91 89
269 Mary Kavanagh (New Ross) 89 90 90
270 Mary McGoey (Greenore) 86 90 94
271 Mary Young (CAN) 87 91 93
276 Cindy Beaudet (CAN) 93 86 97
NR Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford) 89 90 NR

NON QUALIFIERS
181 Rita O'Loughlin (Mannan Castle) 91 90
182 Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) 86 96
183 Ginny Marshall (CAN) 91 92
184 Cornelia Fischer (GER) 96 88
185 Eva Heikamp (DEN) 94 91
186 Ann McAuley (Laytown and Bettystown) 95 91 Catherine Owens (Ballinasloe) 90 96 Grainne Killen (Kilkeel) 89 97
187 Marilyn Cox (CAN) 93 94
188 Penny Gleeson (Milltown) 100 88 Mary Mather (Cill Dara) 91 97
189 Sue Turner (CAN) 95 94
191 Sally Mathurin (ENG) 94 97 Patsy McCarthy (Grange) 93 98
193 Diana Maughan (CAN) 98 95 Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell) 96 97 Helen Castonguay (CAN) 96 97 Elizabeth Neville (Athenry) 95 98 Sheila Bodmer (SWI) 94 99 Bonnie Schmidt (CAN) 93 100
194 Brenda Samis (CAN) 99 95
196 Heidi Simpson (USA) 101 95
197 Margaret Boomer (Lisburn ) 101 96
223 Breda Farrell (Curra West) 108 115
WD Mary McKenna (Donabate) 84 95 Helen O'Donoghue (Clonmel) 91 85 WD Jacinta Deane (Greystones) 90 WD Mary Hutch (Greystones) 97 WD
RTD Roma English (Larne) 91 RTD
NR Michele Quinn (Dundalk) NR

NATIONS CUP (2 scores from 3 to count)
319 IRELAND A Pat Doran [82] [83] Helen Jones 79 78 Sheena McElroy 81 81
323 IRELAND B Suzanne Corcoran 83 78 Gertie McMullen [84] 82 Carol Wickham 80 [83]
329 WALES Jean O'Connor 83 81 Vicki Thomas 85 80
331 CANADA A Ginny Marshall [91] [92] Ivy Steinberg 87 78 Diane Williams 84 82
338 ENGLAND A Ruth Lindley 85 80 Sue Pidgeon 89 84
339 SCOTLAND Alison Bartlett 84 77 Pamela Williamson 87 91
347 CANADA B Cindy Beaudet 93 86 Allyson Harrison [94] 81Mary Young 87 [91]
357 DENMARK Eva Heikamp 94 91 Sigrid Johannesen 85 87
370 ENGLAND B Pat Bennett 94 85 Sally Mathurin 94 97