Hardly has there been time to absorb the emergence of a 13-yearold challenger in the US Women's Open, than a current 11-year-old is looking towards lowering the record. Yet it shouldn't be all that surprising to those of us who recall the remarkable deeds of Killarney's Bridget Gleeson, 30 years ago. Morgan Pressel apparently had a good time with spectators and the media while carding successive 77s to miss the half-way cut at Pine Needles last weekend. But it was interesting that she should have incurred the ire of a playing partner through her alleged ignorance of golfing etiquette.
Heather Daly-Donorfio refused to comment on her accusation that Pressel had stood on the line of her putt. But the teenager admitted afterwards: "She said `You can't walk over the hole.' All I said was like, whatever." Now we learn that 11-year-old Michelle Wie made history this week by becoming the first female and the youngest player to qualify for the Manoa Cup, instituted in Honolulu 94 years ago. She got among 64 amateur qualifiers by shooting a five-over-par round from the men's tees.
Small matter that she lost her first-round match on the 16th to a Los Angeles businessman. With a daily, practice routine of 45 minutes' putting, 30 minutes on chipping and pitching, 45 minutes on the practice ground, followed by nine holes, she plans to try to break Pressel's US Women's Open record next year, when she will be 12.
Given a remarkably mature physique - she stands 5ft 9ins and wears a size 91/2 men's golf shoe - nobody is betting against her.
All of which is reminiscent of 1970, when a six-year-old Bridget Gleeson was invited to attend the Irish Women's Close at Royal Portrush, having already appeared on Gay Byrne's Late, Late Show. While up north, she impressed British Open champion Fred Daly so much that he arranged with John Letters, a life-long friend, to make a special set of clubs for her.
The Scottish clubmaker duly produced a cut-down set comprising three, five, seven and nine-irons, a sandwedge and a two and fourwood, all made to measure and balanced to perfection. Two years later, while still in second class in primary school, she was runner-up in the Lady Captain's Prize (Annette Courtney) at Killarney. Not surprisingly, her handicap quickly tumbled from 36 to 30.
Mary McKenna was then dominating Irish women's golf and there is no doubting the toughest match she faced during the 1970s. It was against 13-year-old Bridget in the 1977 Irish Close at Ballybunion. As a 28-year-old and with four Curtis Cup appearances behind her, McKenna was clearly on a hiding to nothing in an emotionally-charged atmosphere. But she won by two holes.
Though small of stature, Bridget reached four successive finals of the Irish Girls' Championship, winning in 1980 and 1981, and later gained full international honours. But she never achieved the dominance predicted for her. One wonders if Pressel and Wie will fare better.
"I consider it a major. Whether anybody else does, I don't really care."
- Arnold Palmer's reaction on hearing that officials of the US Seniors' Tour don't consider the Senior British Open to be a "senior major". Palmer is returning to the event at Royal Co Down next month.
