All of 14 years ago, Deirdre Walsh - or Mahon as she was known then - was a mainstay of the Irish women's team.
Then she discovered life in the real world; where she completed her accountancy exams, spent four years working in Germany and, then, on returning home, combined becoming a mother of four children with her work life. So, it was little wonder that golf took a back seat to more important matters.
Yet, at a time when more and more young players are evolving the women's game in this country, Walsh has contrived to defy all the odds.
And, yesterday, the Roscommon native continued her odyssey in the Lancôme Irish Close Championship at The Island where she marched on to a semi-final encounter today with Tara Delaney, the 18-year-old Carlow player who is very much a part of the new generation of golfer that has appeared in recent times.
Delaney, with her sister Karen, the Irish girls' champion, acting as caddie, inflicted a one-hole defeat on defending champion Martina Gillen, of nearby Beaverstown, to advance to the last four. In a way, it was revenge for a year ago when the Dubliner beat her at the same stage of the champion.
"I've improved a lot in the last 12 months as a player," insisted Delaney. "I've progressed my iron play, and am a lot more accurate, and my putting has improved immensely."
On a day of some close encounters, Deirdre Smith, of Co Louth, managed to hold off Irish international Helen Jones in their quarter-final, eventually winning by one hole; while Claire Coughlan, who makes her Curtis Cup debut in Formby next month, was forced to go to sudden death before overcoming Ballybofey's Darragh McGowan. Although Coughlan did win the 19th in some style, holing a 30-footer for eagle.
But it was Walsh's progress that defied the modern norm, where players have a calendar of events that stretch from spring into the late autumn.
"I usually only play competitive golf these days when there is a tournament on my doorstep," quipped Walsh, who has four children under the age of seven, the youngest just 18 months old.
In yesterday morning's second round, though, she contrived to reproduce some of the form of old in being three-under-par in defeating international Heather Nolan, while her win over leading qualifier Phillips was, as she said, "a little scrappy".
Walsh, who hasn't played in the championship since 1998 and plays off a four handicap, was nip and tuck with Phillips over the front nine (where only four holes were halved) and eventually turned one down. However, she went all-square when winning the 11th and, then, birdied the par-five 15th to go one up for the first time in the match.
When Phillips missed the 17th fairway on the right, and then put her approach over the back where she was faced with a very difficult chip and failed to get up and down, the Milltown player's regulation par was sufficient to earn her victory and a clash with Delaney.
Delaney, for her part, showed remarkable composure in overcoming Gillen. The dogged nature of the match was emphasised by the fact all the holes from the fourth to the 11th were halved, but Delaney finally went one up on the 12th where Gillen's approach missed the green left and she failed to get up and down from the heavy rough.
Smith was involved in a remarkable second-round match with Curtis Cup reserve Tricia Mangan in which the better ball was 12-under-par.
"I found it difficult to refocus," said Smith, who was forced to produce a quite different game in eventually beating Jones by one hole. The key moment came on the 15th where the Co Louth player chipped in from 50 yards for an eagle to edge ahead.
Results
Second Round: S Phillips (Woodbrook) bt T Eakin (Killarney) 5 and 4; D Walsh (Milltown) bt H Nolan (Shannon) 4 and 3; T Delaney (Carlow) bt ER Power (Kilkenny) 3 and 1; M Gillen (Beaverstown) bt S Keane (The Curragh) 3 and 2;
D Smith (Co Louth) bt T Mangan (Ennis) 2 and 1; H Jones (Strabane) bt S McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) 3 and 2; C Coughlan (Cork) bt S Hayes (Hermitage) 6 and 5; D McGowan (Ballybofey) bt V Power (Brampton Park) 6 and 4.
Quarter-finals - Walsh bt Phillips 2 and 1; Delaney bt Gillen 1 hole; Smith bt Jones 1 hole; Coughlan bt McGowan at 19th.
Today's Draw: Semi-finals: 9.00 - Walsh v Delaney; 9.09 - Smith v Coughlan. Final: 1.30.
Ita Wallace Trophy - Semi-finals: M Riordan (Tipperary) bt E Gilmore (Mountbellew) 3 and 2; D McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) bt D Conaty (Ashbourne) 5 and 3.
Final: Riordan bt McVeigh 3 and 2.
