Ireland’s Open title hopes put on hold

IRELAND has not had a Ladies British Open Amateur Golf Champion for 18 years since Lilian Behan triumphed at Ganton — and they will have to wait at least another 12 months before ending that long drought after all three of their qualifiers were knocked out at Lindrick, Yorkshire, yesterday.

And the defeats suffered by Beaverstown's Martina Gillen and Tricia Mangan from Ennis will not help them when the selectors sit down today to choose their side for the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe at Co Louth at the end of next month.

Gillen lost on the home green in the first round to Italian Margherita Rigon.