KAVANAGH SET FOR LANDMARK APPEARANCE AT LUTTRELLSTOWN

NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release: 31 May 2017

KAVANAGH SET FOR LANDMARK APPEARANCE AT LUTTRELLSTOWN

Hazel Kavanagh has made history by becoming the first woman ever to qualify for the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship. Dublin-based Kavanagh will make a landmark appearance in the £78,000 grand final at Luttrellstown Castle Golf & Country Club between June 13-16. Kavanagh, representing Carr Golf Centre at Spawell, carded a five over par round of 77 in the qualifying event, also held at Luttrellstown Castle. And that was enough to get her into the final along with 18 other qualifiers. Kavanagh is no stranger to rewriting the record books. Three years ago, she became the first woman to win a PGA Irish Region event with her triumph in the PGA Irish Club Professional Tournament at Arklow Golf Links.  She has also represented Ireland in the World Cup of Golf 2005 and in the European Cup in 2010 - along with several Top 10 finishes on the Ladies' European Tour. But she admits this feat is something special. "It's amazing, I didn't realise it at the time," she said. "But I'd always assumed a woman would've made the final at some point in the past. "The courses are set up to be quite tough so I can see why female golfers don't play in them. "But I'd played at practice round the previous Sunday at Luttrellstown - I only live five minutes from the course - I know it very well. "And I settled into the round after the irst hole, I just hung in there. I was three over on the front nine but I made a birdie at the 11th hole." Yet qualification for the final this year was even more competitive with the final coming to Ireland. And the qualifying round attracted a bigger field than usual to the Co Dublin venue. "I think the final is in Ireland for the first time and a lot of people wanted to play in the qualifier, it's a class golf course," added Kavanagh. "And because of the numbers, you had to up your game to qualify. So it was satisfying to get through. "I expect irish golf fans will come out in numbers for the final, especially with David Higgins winning last year.  People in Dublin are great golf supporters."