Leona Maguire skips Irish Women's Close to avoid Rory-esque five-in-a-row

FROM THE IRISH GOLF DESK

BY BRIAN KEOGH 

World female  amateur No 1 Leona Maguire has opted to skip the Irish Women's Close Championship at Rosapenna this weekend to better prepare for next weekend's GB and Ireland versus Continent of Europe Vagliano Trophy match at Belfast, a Ladies European Tour appearance and the European Ladies Team Championship.

The 20-year old Duke University, North Carolina student  and Slieve Russell player, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency at the recent British championship, has had a stellar freshman season in the US, winning the ANNIKA award. But after reaching the quarter-finals of last week's Ladies' British Amateur at Portstewart and with a hectic summer ahead, she's opted not to travel to Donegal.
“That would have been a big five weeks in a row and I didn’t want to do anything like that,” Leona said, revealing she’s taken up an sponsor’s invitation for the ISPS Ladies European Masters between next week's Vagliano Trophy at Malone and the European Ladies' Team Championship at Helsingør in Denmark from July 7-11
“I have received an invitation for the event at the Buckinghamshire so unfortunately the Irish Close Championship was the one that had to go, "said Leona, 20
The Heath's Mary Doyle will defend her title at the renowned Old Tom Morris Links following her win at Enniscrone last year..
She'll face some stiff competition from Olivia Mehaffey. who has won three times this year and last weekend reached the last four at the British Ladies’ Amateur Championship at Portstewart, Northern Ireland.

Maria Dunne (Skerries), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), Niamh McSherry (Lurgan), Paula Grant (Lisburn), Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) and Jessica Carty (Holywood) are all more than capable of winning the title, however. 

Ryan lost out in a play-off at the Irish Ladies’ Open Stroke-play Championship at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club and will have her eyes firmly set on winning her first title of 2015.

She did not make the match-play stages of the "British."

The Irish Women's Close Amateur Championship was first played in 1894, just one year after the foundation of the ILGU, the oldest national Union or Association in ladies' golf.

The Old Tom Morris Links at Rosapenna Golf Club was ranked 37th in Golf Digest Ireland's Top 100 Courses in 2013 and is a testing combination of traditional and modern links holes which bridge a century of golf design influences.

Irish Women's Close Championship, Old Tom Morris Links, Rosapenna Golf Club

Draw – Saturday 20th June 2015

Live scoring

1st tee/10th tee Player (Club)

08.00/13.30  Mary Doyle (The Heath) Olivia Mehaffey (RCDL)
08.10/13.40  Maria Dunne (Skerries) Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) Jessica Ross (Donaghadee)
08.20/13.50  Louise Coffey (Malone) Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) Mary Dowling (New Ross)
08.30/14.00  Gillian O’Leary (The Island) Ciara Casey (Hermitage) Chloe Weir (Shandon Park)
08.40/14.10  Karen Delaney (Carlow) Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe/MU) Shannen Browne (The Heath/MU)
08.50/14.20  Valerie Clancy (Killarney) Laura Doherty (Howth) Sophie Harrison (Killeen Castle)
09.00/14.30  Maeve Kelly (Castledargan) Meadhbh Doyle (Portarlington) Nicole McGavisk (Donabate)
09.10/14.40  Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden) Maeve Cummins (Lurgan) Vivienne Houston (City of Derry)
09.20/14.50  Fiona Farrell (Skerries) Claire McGonagle (Portsalon)

10th tee/1st tee Player (Club)

08.00/13.30  Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) Paula Grant (Lisburn) Chloe Ryan (Castletroy)
08.10/13.40  Jessica Carty (Holywood) Danielle McVeigh (RCDL) Julie McCarthy (Forest Little)
08.20/13.50  Jean O’Driscoll (Muskerry) Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) Aedin Murphy (Carlow)
08.30/14.00  Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint) Niamh Ward (Lurgan) Naoimh Quigg (City of Derry)
08.40/14.10  Katie Aherne (Waterford Castle) Victoria Craig (Royal Belfast) Roisin Brady (Co.Louth)
08.50/14.20  Rachel Thompson (Cork) Jenny Hennessy (Lahinch) Barbara Cooney (Laytown & Bettystown)
09.00/14.30  Elisa Corcoran (Grange) Ailish McCartan (Greenore) Clodagh Walsh (Castlewarden)
09.10/14.40  Sara Byrne (Douglas) Jenny Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) Maeve Rooney (Co.Sligo)
09.20/14.50  Kate Dwyer (Rossmore) Catherine McCanny (City of Derry)
09.30/15.00  Noreen Maloney (Oughterard) Deborah McCooke (Galgorm Castle)

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