Maguire, Blue Devils Sweep to Jim West Challenge titles
Ireland’s Leona Maguire registered her eighth collegiate victory as she turned in a school and tournament record 13-under-par, 200, with rounds of 67, 63 and 70 at the Jim West Challenge in The Woodlands, Texas. Maguire won by three strokes from Maddie Szeryk of Texas A&M (203). A member of Slieve Russell, Maguire now ranks third all-time at Duke with eight wins and is four away from Amanda Blumenherst and Mary Anne Widman (12).
“I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season,” said Maguire. “I’m really proud of my performance and everyone on the team, we all stepped up and I’m excited for the season ahead of us.”
Maguire registered four birdies in her final round, including draining a long putt for birdie at the 18th to close the tournament with an individual-best 18 birdies. She hit 15 greens, 12 fairways and rolled 31 putts.
Sophomore Ana Belac rounded out her third straight round in the 60s with a three-under, 68, on her way to finishing tied third overall with a career-best nine-under-par, 204. With a three-day total of 205, freshman Jaravee Boonchant tied for the third-lowest score by a Duke freshman in Blue Devil history.
The Blue Devils carded a school-record 33-under-par, 819, on their way to totalling a 22-stroke victory at The Fazio Course at Carlton Woods. Duke finished the event with a seven-under-par, 277, after collecting rounds of 269 and 273 over the first two rounds. Oklahoma (841), Texas Tech (842), Kent State (844) and Texas A&M (851) rounded out the top five teams.
Lisa Maguire finished the challenge with rounds of 76, 75 and 78 for a 229 to tie for 58th. The Blue Devils will next compete in the Windy City Collegiate on October 2nd and 3rd. in Chicago, Illinois.
Royal Tara crowned Mary McKenna Diamond Trophy champions
Royal Tara claimed the Mary McKenna Diamond Trophy Foursomes on the 19th when they beat Belvoir Park 3-2 in a thrilling All Ireland final at Woodenbridge.
Marion Cleary and Geraldine Onofri put Royal Tara ahead with a 7 and 5 win over Julie Morrison and Una O’Hara before Violet McBride and Anne Stewart replied with Belvoir Park with a 2 and 1 win over Paula Kennedy and Ada Davis.
But while Jane Hughes and Breda McGuinness edged Royal Tara ahead again with a 2 and 1 win over Susan Cashman and Honor Ross, the Ulster champions levelled the scores at 2-2 when Joan McVeigh and Betty Cowan beat Colette Bedford and Irene Giles 2 and 1 in the anchor match.
The All-Ireland title hinged on the penultimate match and it was Royal Tara who claimed victory with Mary Bannon and Ann Donnelly edging out Carmel McCavanagh and Jill Parton at the 19th.
Belvoir Park beat Thurles on the 19th in their semi-final as Royal Tara saw off Tuam. But Tuam beat Thurles 3½ -1½ to take third place after what was a highly successful event at the scenic Co Wicklow course.
Petit-Martin cruises to an impressive victory
France’s Christine Petit-Martin cruised to an impressive ten-stroke victory in the Irish Senior Women’s Open Stroke Play Championship at Belvoir Park.
The Gallic raider led from wire-to-wire, carding rounds of 74, 75 and 72 to win comfortably from England’s Catherine Rawthorne on two-over par 221. Ireland’s Gertie McMullen finished third, a shot further back on 232.
Petit-Martin was again extremely steady as she coasted through the first nine of the final round without a blemish on the card. The chasing pack, led by McMullen, were now at least eight shots adrift with only nine holes to play leaving a substantial hill to climb if anyone was to challenge for the title.
Catherine Rawthore of England made the best attempt at catching Petit-Martin as she carded a three-under back nine. However, Petit-Martin was up to the task and produced another stunning back nine to win out the tournament on two over par, 10 shots clear of rest of the field.
Meanwhile the Irish Senior Women’s team for the Home Internationals at Newport, Wales next month is: Suzanne Corcoran, Mary MacLaren, Margaret McCauliffe, Sheena McElroy, Gertie McMullen, Catherine Reilly and Laura Webb
Morrow and Mitchell lead Ireland at Seniors Home Internationals
Ireland will have home advantage for the Seniors Home Internationals, which get underway at Rosslare on Tuesday, September 26th.
Team captain Sean O’Leary (Mahon) can call on two members of his European championship winning side for the matches against England, Scotland and Wales.
Portmarnock’s Adrian Morrow secured the winning point against Denmark in the European final and returns to the fold alongside Tramore’s John Mitchell as Ireland bid to regain the Seniors Home Internationals having relinquished the crown in 2016.
Billy Donlon (Birr), Barry O’Leary (Greystones) and Liam Halpin (Westport) have been retained from last year’s side with Nigel Duke (Killiney) and Hugh Smyth (Mourne) completing Ireland’s seven-man lineup. Barry Doyle (Carlow) is team manager.
Kilpatrick claims Luttrellstown victory
Richard Kilpatrick fired a five under par 67 to win the Luttrellstown Pro-Am. The Banbridge professional finished two shots ahead of the in-form Simon Thornton (Simon Thornton Golf) and Michael McDermott (Grange GC). This was a welcome return to the summit for Kilpatrick who last tasted victory back in July.
With a shot-gun start in operation he began his round at the par five 17th in ideal fashion, rolling in an eagle putt of just four feet. Richard added further birdies at the first and third, completing his opening 11 holes in four under par.
The 35-year-old stepped up the pace after the turn with a hat-trick of birdies at the 10th, 11th and 12th. He then dropped a couple of shots at the 14th and 15th before finishing off his round with a closing par on the 16th.
Daniel Beattie (Deer Park) and amateur partners Michael Baumgart, Joe Clinton and Peter Behan collected the team prize on count back ahead of Robert Giles’ (Greenore GC) team.
Galbraith through to Stage Two
Amateur John Ross Galbraith cruised through the First Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School when he finished tied for 11th at the Roxburghe Hotel and Golf Course in Scotland. The Whitehead international shot rounds of 70, 70, 71 and 71 to finish on six-under as 22 players qualified for November’s Second Stage on five-under or better.
Denmark’s Rasmus Hjelm topped the qualifiers in Scotland on 18-under-par but there was no luck for Colm Moriarty, who was in position with a round to go but shot 73 to miss out by three shots.
Irish pair help B and I to retain PGA Cup
Ireland’s Damien McGrane and David Higgins won their singles on the final day as Britain and Ireland retained the PGA Cup at Foxhills Resort in Surrey. The B&I team defeated the USA 16-10 to register back-to-back victories in the biennial event for the first time since 1984.
Scotland’s Greig Hutcheon holed the match-winning putt after compatriot Chris Currie had staged a stirring recovery to halve the match that retained the trophy.
The USA won Saturday’s foursomes 3 and 1 to go into the singles a point behind their hosts. The home side were up to the task winning the final day singles session 7½ - 2½ with wins for McGrane, Higgins, Robert Coles, Matthew Cort, Andrew Raitt, Phillip Archer and Greig Hutcheon.
McGrane was two down to Mark Brown after three holes after a bogey, double bogey, bogey start and still two down after seven holes. But he won the eighth with a bogey five to cut the deficit to one hole, then won four holes in a row from the 12th, going par-birdie-birdie-par to go three up with three to play before closing out a 3 and 2 win.
The Kells man finished the week with two wins, one half (in Friday’s foursomes with Higgins) and two losses from his five matches.
Waterville’s Higgins never trailed as he beat Adam Rainaud 3 and 2 in the singles and finished the week with three wins, one half and one defeat from his five matches.
Campbell best on countback at Dundalk
Warrenpoint’s Colm Campbell produced a superb second round 67 to win the One Finance Dundalk Scratch Cup at Dundalk Golf Club. The Irish international pipped Massereene’s Tiarnan McLarnon on countback after the pair were tied on 138, six-under-par, with the defending champion, Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty, two shots further back in third place.
Slieve Russell’s Seamus Cullen led after the first round following his excellent four under par 68 with Rafferty and McLarnon on 70 and Campbell was a shot further back on 71
Cullen was unable to keep the momentum going and dropped out of contention after a second round 76. Cairndhu’s Ryan McKinstry, who started the second round at level par, got to six under with three to play but he then double-bogeyed 16 and bogeyed 17 to finish on three-under. He held the clubhouse lead momentarily as the top three were in the group behind and were producing fireworks of their own with McLarnon eagling the par-five sixth to go to four under and a back to back birdies on the ninth and 10th plus a birdie three on the 14th got him to seven under.
A bogey at 16th saw McLarnon drop back to six under while a birdie two at 17th got Campbell to six under and in the end it proved decisive as Campbell’s second round 67 was enough for him to pip McLarnon’s 68 on countback as they both tied on 138.
