Lisburn’s Paula Grant staged a magnificent rally and defied gale force winds at Ballybunion yesterday to defeat Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) and capture the Irish Ladies Close Championship for the first time.

Tricia Mangan (Ennis), fresh from her seventh-place finish at the Welsh Open Strokeplay, defends her Lancome Irish Ladies’ Close Championship at The European Club, Co Wicklow, May 13 to 17.