Miracle at Knightsbrook
Metcalfe’s nerves of steel seal Foursomes glory for Laytown, writes Brian Keogh
NEVER mind the Miracle at Medinah, this was the miracle at Knightsbrook.
At least that’s how current Senior international Carol Wickham saw it as Laytown and Bettystown claimed the AIG Senior Foursomes for the second time in five years with a heartstopping victory over Roscommon at Knightsbrook Hotel and Golf Resort.
It took two moments of magic from Ellie Metcalfe to make it all possible for the Co Meath ladies to consign Roscommon to an extra holes defeat in the final for the second year running with a thrilling 2-1 win.
While Wickham and Marita Leech fell in the top match, Bairbre Cooney and Aimee Wickham (Carol’s niece) won 3&1 before Vivienne Branigan, and Maynooth University student Metcalfe clinched a memorable win on the 20th.
Metcalfe extended the match with a 35-foot-putt on the first extra hole before hitting a stunning fivewood approach to four feet at the 20th to set up a winning birdie.
“I had a good feeling over the putt on the 19th, and then Vivienne hit a good drive down 20,” Metcalfe said. “I had 204 yards with my approach and hit it in pretty close.
“To be honest, it’s class to get the win because it wasn’t looking good
at some points out there. But it was never going to be easy to win an All-Ireland Final.
“To get to an All-Ireland final you have to play a lot of good golf, and we have had two great matches against Kilkenny and Roscommon here this week, it’s great to come out on top.”
Wickham Snr, who is representing Ireland in their defence of the Senior Women’s Home Internationals at Burnham and Berrow this week, was thrilled to see the small Co Meath club triumph again under captain Noeleen Quirke.
“We were two up with three to play in the last match, and things were looking good, but it didn’t work out,” said Wickham, who was a vital member of a panel that also featured Lorraine Lynch, Teghan Gordon and her sister Phil O’Gorman.
“We lost 17 and 18 and looked like we were dead when we went through the green on the 19th, and Roscommon were safely on the green in two.
“We hit a poor pitch on, and Ellie sank a 35-foot putt for a five that if you had it 1,000 times, you wouldn’t get it. They missed for their four, and we went up the 20th, and Ellie hit a five-wood, 200-plus yards to a couple of feet.
“Vivienne, who is a niece of Declan Branigan, had two putts for it but she holed the putt for the three and the win. It was like the miracle of Knightsbrook rather than the miracle of Medinah. It was fantastic.”
It’s a major achievement for Laytown and Bettystown, which becomes the second club after Killarney to win the AIG Ladies Senior Foursomes twice.