Close to perfect display
Dowling delivers on big stage in Portstewart
THE MIDDLE of last week marked the ten-year anniversary of one of the most momentous achievements in Wexford golfing history.
Portstewart in Derry was the venue where a dream came true for Mary Dowling from New Ross, fulfilling a long-held ambition when she was crowned the Irish Close ladies’ champion.
She won the final match against precocious teenager Leona Maguire from Cavan, having been runner-up to her twin sister, Lisa, in the same championship in 2009.
And we all know the calibre of opponent Mary was dealing with, given that Leona went on to turn professional in 2018, after an 18-month spell when she was officially ranked the number one amateur in the world.
Lisa, who had defeated Dowling by a 5&4 margin in that 2009 decider in Fota Island, has also been a professional for the past two years.
Golfers in the New Ross Club were well aware of Mary’s calibre from an early age, and this was her time to shine, a truly special week in an outstanding career.
It took five gruelling days of competition before she was crowned champion, as the action began on Saturday, May 22, with the first round of the Leitrim Cup, a 36-hole qualifying strokeplay event.
Sunday saw the completion of round two, after which the leading 32 players went into the matchplay stages which commenced on Monday and concluded with the 18-hole final on the Wednesday morning.
Mary advanced comfortably to the matchplay stages on a score of 162 (79, 83), 19 shots behind Leona Maguire, who was the leading qualifier.
On the Monday, she beat Gillian O’Leary (Cork) 2&1 in the first round, and Sinéad O’Sullivan (Galway) by the exact same scoreline.
Her quarter-final clash the following day pitted her against Jenny Gannon (Co. Louth), and she came through that test impressively by a 4&3 margin.
It was really getting down to the serious business of the week at that stage, and the semi-final was a tough test because Mary had to face Maura Diamond (Royal
Portrush) who had plenty of local support.
The New Ross golfer was dormie three up after 15 holes, but her rival won the 16th with par. However, Mary went on to halve the 17th and win 2&1.
The final against talented youngster Leona Maguire, like the rest of the championship, was played in beautifully sunny, albeit windy, conditions, and it turned into a titanic tussle between two great players.
Mary got off to a great start and was three up after five holes, but Leona battled back and the match was all square by the tenth.
Leona won the tenth and 14th holes to go two up, but Mary took the par three 15th with par after her rival found a greenside bunker.
With the par four 16th playing long into a strong wind, Maguire ended up in another greenside bunker with her second shot, and Mary sank a six-foot putt for par to square the match.
The 17th hole was halved in pars, and both were just short of the green in two on 18.
Mary chipped to eight feet and Leona, twelve feet behind the pin, charged it three feet beyond as the tension mounted.
Mary was looking at a downhill right to left putt for the title, and she held her nerve to find the bottom of the cup to rapturous applause from the sizeable crowd.
Mary’s elated father, John – who passed to his eternal reward in 2015 – was her faithful caddy, having religiously performed that task for her on both good days and bad down through the years.
Her mother, Helen, was also in Portstewart to cheer her daughter on and share in her magnificent victory.
Mary’s rise to the position of leading ladies’ golfer in Ireland had been flagged earlier in the season, having won the Cork Scratch Cup and finishing second in the Munster championship.
However, this was the pinnacle, and the scenes of jubilation when the Dowlings returned to New Ross Golf Club – in the same Tinnakilly townland as their homeplace – were something special.
Captain Trevor Campbell, lady Captain Paula Reidy, members and friends turned out in large numbers to show what Mary’s success meant to the people of the town, and it was no more than she deserved.