Milltown's Suzie O'Brien has gained an appropriate reward for an outstanding, recent performance in the Curtis Cup in which she emerged as the top home player with three and a half points out of four. The current Leinster champion was named yesterday as a member of the three-person Espirito Santo Trophy team.
O'Brien joins England's Rebecca Hudson and Emma Duggleby and the team will be captained by Ireland's Mary McKenna, while the current Irish champion, Alison Coffey, is first reserve. They represent Britain and Ireland at the Sporting Club, Berlin from August 23rd to 26th.
The team became largely predictable after Hudson captured the British Women's Championship at Walton Heath last weekend, beating Duggleby by 5 and 4 in the final. As it happened, she had earlier led the qualifiers and was not taken beyond the 16th in any of her matches.
All three players were members of the Curtis Cup side beaten 108 by the US at Ganton. In fact O'Brien and Duggleby proved to be splendid foursomes partners, halving their opening match and then crushing their American opponents on the second day.
The team is: E Duggleby (aged 28) Malton and Norton, R Hudson (20) Wheatley, S O'Brien (33) Milltown. Reserves - A Coffey (27) Warrenpoint, B Brewerton (17) Abergele. Non-playing captain - M McKenna (Donabate).
