Victory for Gertie McMullen at Arklow

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FULL RESULTS

The final day of the 2016 Irish Senior Women’s Open Stroke Play Championship brought wind and rain to  the Arklow Links in the south-east. As the scorecards began to come in, a club house leader in Catherine Reilly (The Heath) was established after she carded a 2 over par 74 in the challenging conditions. However, out on the course 36 hole leader Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna) and Gertie McMullen (The Island) were tied for the lead with nine holes to play. The leading pair were one shot ahead of Sheena McElroy (Grange) while Pat Doran (Donabate) was a further shot behind.

As the gales strengthened the finishing nine  became even tougher. Both Corcoran and Sonja Bland (South Africa) faltered on the testing closing holes to finish on 239 and 244 respectively. 

Sheena McElroy finished with a closing 83 to tie for 3^rd place with Corcoran on 239. Canadian Alison Murdoch, who has travelled to this tournament for the last number of years and will go from Arklow to Caldy on the Wirral to compete at the British Women’s Senior Open Stroke Play Championship next week, finished with a respectable 79 which earned her second place.

The player who battled the hardest over the back nine and ultimately finished on top of the leader board was Gertie McMullen of The Island Golf Club. The 2013 Irish Senior Women’s Open Stroke Play Champion and 2015 &and 2016 Irish Senior Women’s Close Champion can now add this tournament to her list of achievements.
Gertie, who had husband Frazer on the bag, was delighted with her win. “I am ecstatic, I can’t believe it. To have two Irish Opens and two Irish Close Championships now is just incredible!”

Gertie will now travel to the British Seniors next week followed by the Senior Women’s Home Internationals at Alyth in Scotland from September 27 – 29. 

The Irish Seniors Home International team is as follows;

Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna)

Sheena McElroy (Grange)

Gertie McMullen (The Island)

Maria O’Reilly (Headfort)

Mary Sheehy (Tralee)

Laura Webb (East Berkshire)

Carol Wickham (Laytown and Bettystown)

Captain: Pauline Walsh (Headfort)

Manager: Valerie Hassett (Ennis)

Reserves

Pat Doran (Donabate)

Margaret McAuliffe (Ballybunion)