2017 Ladies National Strokeplay Championships Report

Report of weekend's action in all grades

2017 Ladies National Strokeplay Championships Report image

2017 NATIONAL LADIES STROKEPLAY SENIOR GRADE LATEST

Communications & Press Officer Jason O'Connor reports on the weekend in Cement

Sunday

GERALDINE Ward once again returned to the summit of the National Ladies Senior Strokeplay as she came from a one shot deficit after the initial 36 holes to defeat Chrissie Byrne for the second time in a month after a win over the Ryston player in the National Matchplay Final on the June Bank Holiday Monday. Rocklodge’s Mary Murray was a surprise pacesetter after the first 18 holes on four under par one head of five players on three under but come the 36 holes stage Byrne had a second 18 of five under to lead on eight under. Murray would miss out on the playoff by a stroke after finishing on two under.

 

            Ward had seven under for her first 36 in being one behind as Marian Courtney and Breda White (six under) along with Glenda Hoey (four under) and Tara Dillon (three under) made up the top six for the playoff. Crucially Chrissie failed to advance her score in the playoff as she finished the tournament on eight under but Ger closed with three under to give her victory by two strokes on 10 under.

 

            Marian Courtney meanwhile had one under in the playoff to finish in the medals once more following last year’s runners-up finish as she finished on seven under, one ahead of last year’s winner Breda White who had six under par for the day. 

Below is a chronology of the playoff round. Report of Saturday's events below that

Ward chips on 18 and lips out on the final hole, Byrne holes out and finishes 8 under. Ward is the National Strokeplay Champion

Ward goes to 10 under with  a birdie on 17

Ward remains the leader by 1 after 16

Ward pars the 15th to remain 9 under and leader by 1 from Chrissie Byrne

White 6 under and Courtney 7 under after 15

Dillon remains on 3 under after 15 & Hoey goes back to level

Byrne 8 under after chipping in from the bunker on 12 for par, Ward  remains on 9 under after 12

White is 5 under after 12 & Courtney is 7 under after 12

Hoey plus 1 & Dillon 3 under after 12

Ward leads on 9 under after 9, Byrne is 7 under after9

White 6 under & Courtney 7 under after 9

Dillon 3 under after 9

Hoey level after 9

White birdies 6th

Dillon birdies 6th

Byrne drops shot on 3rd

Dillon drops shot on 5th

Hoey drops shot on 4th

White drops  shot on 3rd

Byrne & Ward par first  

Courtney birdies second

Courtney &  White par first

Dillon& Hoey par second

Dillon & Hoey par the first

 

Saturday

A ROYAL and Premier combination was the order of the day on the opening day of the National Ladies Strokeplay Championships in Cement, Co Louth as Bellewstown’s Cathy Richardson and Riverdale’s Margaret Forde were crowned Intermediate and Junior Champions respectively today.

 

Cathy had three shots to spare in winning the Intermediate much like she had after the first 36 holes as she was the only player under par in the field on two under, three clear of Leinster Intermediate Strokeplay Champion, Lucan’s Phil Condron, on one over. Cathy had a second 18 of four under par (best 18 hole score on the day) after Phil had set the pace after the first 18 with level par. Both players had one over par in the closing 18 holes to ensure Cathy of her win as another player to shoot one over in the playoff, Mairead Manning of St Stephens claimed third on eight over. Last year’s National Junior winner jumped from sixth after 36 to the bronze place finish with her 55 as 2015 winner Mary Quinn from Lakeside and Laytown’s Ann Bird tied for fourth on 174.

 

Succeeding Mairead as National Junior Champion is Margaret Forde who completed a Munster and National double in the process. Margaret overcame a three shot deficit after the first 36 holes to win out by seven in the end and add to her win in the Munsters at ESB two weeks ago. The Riverdale player had the best opening 18 holes with two over par but it was to be Sive Shelley of Lakeside who led after 36 after rounds of three and four over par saw the Templemore club player on 115. Margaret regained the momentum however in the final 18 with a closing 55 the only score under 60 in seeing her finish on 173 (11 over par). Sive would have to settle for third in the finish after a closing 66 as a 61 for Royal Meath’s Margaret Delahunty saw her finish in second on 180 after being third overall at the 36 hole stage. That was one shot better than Sive’s total of 181 in third.

 

            McBride’s Audrey Donnelly also had 61 for her closing round but it was only good enough for fourth in the end on 184.

 

Click on the scoreboard to see how all the other players in both grades fared today.