Hannah McCook only two off the Irish lead despite an 81

Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey), recent winner of the Welsh women's open amateur stroke-play title, is still in with a chance of scoring an excellent double, despite an opening round of seven-over-par 81 in the Irish women's tournament at Co Louth Golf Club where the gale-force wind gusted over 50mph at times.
She is only two shots off the lead, which is held by Curtis Cup selection Paula Grant (Lisburn) and another Irish player, Lauren Murray (Delgany).
Stirling student Chloe Goadby (St Regulus) is also in the mix with an 82.
Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) had an 84 and Gemma Batty (West Linton) an 85, none of these scores as "bad" as they might sound because of the three or even four-club wind.

IRISH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Co Louth Golf Club.
Par 74. CSS 77.
79 P Grant (Lisburn), L Murray (Delgany).
80 C Royston (S Africa), J Ryan (Wales)
81 S Lamb (England), R Meekers (Netherlands), B Bjornsdottir (Iceland), H McCook (Grantown on Spey), C McGinty (England), C Gainer (England)

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
82 C Goadby (St Regulus) (T13)
84 E Briggs (Kilmacolm) (T23)
85 G Batty (West Linton) (T27)

Grant and Murray lead with five-over
79s at Co Louth

REPORT FROM CARLA REYNOLDS
Irish Golf Union

Paula Grant (Lisburn) and Lauren Murray (Delgany) shot opening scores of five-over-par 79 to share the lead at the end of the first day of the Irish Women’s Open Stroke Play Championship at Co. Louth Golf Club 

 

In winds that gusted up to 65 km/h at one point, it is hard to believe that level par would have left you just outside the top 20 on this day last year on the same course. “That’s links golf for you” remarked one supporter.

    

Grant, who will travel next month to represent GB and I at the Curtis Cup match in New York State, carded three birdies. Murray had a bag of fivebirdies and despite opening and closing with double bogeys, she sits alongside Grant in pole position heading into the weekend.

FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD

Par 74 CSS 77

79 L Murray (Delgany); P Grant (Lisburn)

80 C Royston (South Africa); J Ryan (Wales)

81 B Bjornsdottir (Iceland); H McCook (Scotland); C McGinty (England); C Gainer (England); R Meekers (Netherlands); S Lamb (England)

82 S Byrne (Douglas); E Corcoran (Grange); K Dwyer (Rossmore); C Goadby (Scotland)

83 E Lewis (England); M Giles (England)

84 E Forbes (Royal Portrush); L Temple  Lang (Elm Park); C Whitehead (England); K Lanigan (Hermitage); E Briggs (Scotland)

85 K O' Neill (Douglas); G Batty (Scotland); A Sawyer (England); L Walsh (Castlewarden); J Browne (Kilkenny); L Jones (Wales); C Manzalini (Italy)

86 D Harry (Wales); S Burke (Ballinrobe); O Purfield-Goulding (Co Louth); E Healey (England); J Ross (Clandeboye); O Kelly (Wales); D Smith (Co. Louth); G Allman (England)

87 L Bramwell (Wales); G Carr (Milltown)

88 B Coulter (Kirkistown Castle); C Leathem (England); F Tynan (Wales)

89 V Clancy (Killarney); E Thorne  (Elm Park); K Coey (Clandeboye); M Doyle (The Heath); R Mc Donnell (Elm Park)

90 B Rook (England); L Hillier (Wales); L Simpson (Massereene); C Worby (Wales)

91 B O'Keeffe (England); K O'Connor (Wales); A Nobilio (Italy); J Hall (England); L Belmati (Morocco); A O'Riordan (England); I Holpfer (Austria)

92 R Barton (Wales)

93 A Foster (Elm Park); N Borg (Sweden)

94 D McCooke (Galgorm Castle); S Crowe (Naas); A Fanali (Italy)

95 L Masding (Old Conna); S Burke (Mullingar)

97 G Price (England)