Jane Joyce was a popular local winner as she won the Connacht Junior championship title after she registered a two-shot win over fellow Gort golfer Shauna Burke.
Joyce shot 86 on the day for a +14 total and was also two shots clear of Caoimhe Slemon (Bearna), Marian Hosty (Athenry), Sheila Reilly (Galway Bay), Mariette Potgieter (Ballyhaunis) and Mary Glynn (Loughrea).
Reilly picked up the nett title while Joyce celebrated an unexpected win in the Junior division.
“I arrived this morning with no expectations and cannot believe I have won,” said Joyce.
Dooks golfer Tracy Eakin said this win in Athenry will provide the perfect platform for the rest of her season after she claimed the Connacht Women’s O18 Senior Open Championship.
The reigning Irish Senior Women’s Amateur Close champion shot a 73 for a +1 total and had two strokes to spare ahead of County Louth’s Deirdre Smith.
Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe), Lisa Cullen (Killarney) and Gertie McMullen (The Island) all finished further down the field on +5.
Rebecca Wall (Malahide) was the nett winner after a 72 but it was Eakin who gratefully took home the senior title before she defends her Close crown, along with trips to Luxembourg for the European Individual Championships and the British Seniors.
“I didn’t think I was going great, I finished +2 after nine but I threw in three twos which is always nice,” said Eakin.
“Myself and Deirdre had a great ding dong, there was a two-shot swing again on 16 which is a really tough long Par 4, so I actually didn’t really know how I was going.
“I thought I might have thrown it away there, bounced back with a birdie which is always nice and finished with par at the last.
“Good start and hopefully I can keep it going for the big ones.”
View the final scores here
