Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies) confirmed her status as one of the finest amateur lady golfers in the world at gloriously sunny Lahinch yesterday when she withstood an outstanding challenge from fellow Ulster golfer Louise Coffey (Malone) to carry off the Irish Ladies Close Championship.

Sexton still shining in Lahinch.

Olivia Mehaffey surrendered the Helen Holm Trophy with England’s Olivia Winning snatching Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship victory from her grasp at Troon.

Northern Ireland teenage star Olivia Mehaffey made a sensational start to the defence of her Scottish women’s open stroke-play championship over Troon’s Portland course yesterday.

Emma O’Driscoll bids to consolidate her sparkling start to the season when she lines up in the prestigious St Rule Trophy over the New Course at St Andrews today.

UCC’s Ian O’Rourke smashed the men’s course record at Strandhill Golf Club with a dazzling eight-under-par 62 to coast to victory in the second event in the Intervarsity Series.

With the disappointing late withdrawal of the Slieve Russell twins Leona and Lisa Maguire, the focus of attention turned to the other Irish competitors in the smaller-than-usual field in the British Ladies Open stroke-play championship at Shandon Park, Belfast yesterday.

Ulster remain on track to claim their third successive Women’s Interprovincial title at Cork Golf Club following their hard-earned 6-3 victory over Munster on day two of the action yesterday.

It is all to play for after day one of the Women’s Interprovincials at Cork GC yesterday.

Ulster’s ambition to win a third consecutive Women’s Interprovincial golf title this week at Cork Golf Club has been dealt a blow with the withdrawal of two of their more experienced players.

ALAN DUNBAR stepped up his bid for a place in the Walker Cup team to face the Americans at Aberdeen next month when he fired a splendid opening 68 — four under par — in the European Amateur Individual Championship in Sweden yesterday.

TOURNAMENT specialists Royal Portrush and Douglas are hopeful of regaining national eminence when the closing stages of the Irish Ladies Senior Cup are played at Cork Golf Club, Little Island, over the next two days.