Ireland’s elite golfers will take on Europe’s top amateur female golfers at the 106th British Amateur Championship being played over the challenging Royal St David’s Golf Course at Harlech in North Wales, Tuesday 9 June to Saturday 13 June 2009.
The phenomenal Maguire twins are set to make their debut in the event which tees off with two strokeplay qualifying rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday producing 64 qualifiers for the matchplay stages. The tournament climaxes with the semi-finals and final on Saturday.
Both Lisa and Leona Maguire will need to continue their sensational early season form, which has seen Leona capture the Scottish Open Strokeplay Championship and the French Under-21 Championship, while Lisa recently claimed the Lancome Irish Women’s Close Championship, if one is to emerge as champion from a capacity field of 144 with handicaps of three and under, representing over 17 countries in the impressive international field.
Ireland’s strongest challenge for the title is likely to come from Royal Co Down’s Danielle McVeigh, who is highly experienced in competing at this level. McVeigh has had impressive finishes in British tournaments throughout the start of the season, claiming victory at the Welsh Open Strokeplay in early May and securing top five finishes in both the Scottish Open Strokeplay and St Rule Trophy.
All three competitors will be hoping to impress selectors and book their place on the Great Britain and Ireland Team, to be announced on Monday 15 June, which will compete against a European team for the Vagliano Trophy in Hamburg, 24-25 July 2009.
Favourite for the title is the 2007 champion, Carlota Ciganda of Spain after last year’s winner Anna Nordqvist of Sweden, has since turned professional.
Ireland’s other representatives bidding for glory are current internationals Niamh Kitching (Claremorris) and Aedin Murphy (Carlow), as well as former international Deirdre Smith (Co Louth), Jenny Gannon (Co Louth) and Rachel Cassidy (The Island) all ensuring the real possibility of an Irish player being crowned British Amateur Champion on Saturday afternoon for the first time since Lillian Behan’s win in 1985.
