IRISH SENIOR WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

KAARNALAHTI WINS 

PLAY-OFF AT SIXTH 

EXTRA HOLE

NEWS RELEASE FROM IRISH LGU
Finland’s Minna Kaarnalahti (pictured) defeated defending champion Gertie McMullen in a play-off to win her third Irish senior women’s open amateur stroke-play title in four years after both finished on 227 for the regulation 54 holes at Dundalk
Kaarnalahti, who played football professionally in Finland until knee injuries ended that career and she switched to golf,  closed the three-shot gap on overnight leader McMullen after a fine one over par 74 in breezy conditions. 
The lead see-sawed between the two past champions throughout the round until McMullen forced extra holes by parring the last hole.
Kaarnalahti was able to win the title once more with a bogey at the sixth hole of the marathon play-off.
Ireland’s team of Pat Doran (Donabate), Sheena McElroy (Grange) and Gertie McMullen (The Island) won the Nations Cup from Canada, USA and The Netherlands.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 219 (3x73) SSS 74 CSS 74 74 74
227 Minna Kaarnalahti (FIN) 75 78 74. Gertie McMullen (The Island) 74 76 77 (Kaarnalahti won play-off at sixth extra hole)
234 Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) 77 78 79
236 Pat Doran (Donabate) 80 80 76 Helen Jones (Royal Portrush) 80 80 76 Alison Murdoch (CAN) 78 79 79
238 Mary MacLaren (Royal Portrush) 80 81 77
240 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) 77 82 81
241 Gabi Heuchel (ENG) 77 83 81 Mary Dowling (Mallow) 77 81 83
242 Kate Evans (RCD Ladies) 82 77 83 Catherine Reilly (The Heath) 74 84 84
243 Ita Donnelly (Dundalk) 75 82 86
244 Marilyn Henderson (Royal Belfast) 84 81 79 Becky Neal (USA) 83 82 79
246 Anne Ferguson (Ogbourne Downs) 83 81 82
249 Leslie Olive Henry (USA) 86 80 83 Georgia McCravey (USA) 82 84 83
250 Vivienne Houston (City of Derry) 86 84 80
251 Wanda Mochtar (NED) 87 81 83
252 Ann McAuley (Laytown & Bettystown) 91 80 81 Gill Rouiller (Mannan Castle) 83 86 83 Diane Williams (CAN) 83 85 84
254 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 88 80 86 Kay McCartan (Greenore) 83 84 87
255 Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) 80 87 88
256 Judy Collins (CAN) 89 84 83 Pauline Walsh (Headfort) 83 89 84
257 Valerie Shannon (Lahinch) 89 87 81 Mary Feenan (CAN) 88 87 82
258 Pamela Williamson (SCO) 93 83 82 Mary McGoey (Greenore) 86 82 90 Paula Murray (Naas) 85 86 87 Evelyn Blackmon (USA) 84 87 87
261 Linda Evers (USA) 90 84 87 Nancy Beck (USA) 82 87 92
263 Elizabeth Neville (Bearna) 93 84 86
265 Patricia Black (Headfort) 94 85 86
266 Manja Reef (NED) 87 85 94
268 Ada Vrolijk (NED) 91 91 86
270 Iet Hagels (NED) 87 94 89 Joan Curran (Laytown and Bettystown) 87 92 91
271 Helen Thornton (Ardee) 94 88 89
282 Nancy Jackson (USA) 98 91 93
WD Grainne O'Connor (Skerries) 89 85
DQ Sheena McElroy (Grange) 76 DSQ


NATIONS CUP
 (2 scores from 3 to count each round)
459 IRELAND A Pat Doran [80] 80 76 Sheena McElroy 76 [DSQ] [DSQ] Gertie McMullen 74 76 77
467 IRELAND B Suzanne Corcoran 77 78 79 Mary Dowling 77 [81] [83] Helen Jones [80] 80 76
488 CANADA A Alison Murdoch 78 79 79 Diane Williams 83 85 84
489 USA A Nancy Beck 82 [87] [92] Leslie Olive Henry [86] 80 83 Becky Neal 83 82 79
504 USA B Evelyn Blackmon 84 [87] 87 Linda Evers [90] 84 [87] Georgia McCravey 82 84 83
513 CANADA B Judy Collins 89 84 83 Mary Feenan 88 87 82
521 NETHERLANDS A Iet Hagels 87 94 89 Wanda Mochtar 87 81 83
534 NETHERLANDS B Manja Reef 87 85 94 Ada Vrolijk 91 91 86