No home triumph for Smith in Baltray

LAST year’s Curtis Cup heroine Maria Dunne added another treasured piece of silverware to her collection when claiming victory in the Irish Women’s Open Stroke Play Championship at County Louth on Sunday.

Dunne shot a record opening 66 (nine-under par) on Friday to take a one-shot lead from playing partner Gemma Clews of England into the second round. The wind got up on Saturday and the course at Baltray showed its teeth as the co-leaders struggled round in 76 and 75 respectively to head into the final day all square on eight-under.

The Skerries lady’s hopes looked to be fading when Clews opened up a two-shot lead following the par-5 6th hole, but at the 11th the English player three-putted for par and Dunne held her 10-foot put to get up and down for birdie. From then on Clews struggled on the greens and fell two shots behind Dunne alongside Lianna Bailey (England) by the 15th.

Two groups ahead, Sophie Lamb (England) was making a charge. Having birdied the 16th and 18th to shoot four-under and finish the tournament on -7, she held the clubhouse lead and waited to see how the leaders would fare on the closing holes.

Dunne held her nerve, though, holing another 10-footer on 17 for par and rolling in from eight feet for birdie on 18 to clinch the Stroke Play title in fine style.

Among the other Irish contenders, Blackrock native Deirdre Smith - representing host club County Louth - carded rounds of 77, 75 and 81 to finish on eight-over par, tied 26th, and her clubmate Roisin Brady also made it through to Sunday, but Louise Hanratty (Mannan Castle) missed the cut.