Coughlan 12th in Ladies Open

Cork's Claire Coughlan saved her best for last in the British Ladies Open strokeplay championship at Alwoodley, Leeds yesterday.

After two dismal rounds, which left her struggling to make the halfway cut, the Irish international produced a couple of solid displays yesterday for a pair of 74's to move up the field.

She finished in joint 12th with an aggregate of 305, albeit 11 strokes off the pace.

There was a dramatic ending with Scot Clare Queen winning in a sudden-death play-off after she, Shelley McKevitt and Stephanie Evans all finished on 294. Queen won with a birdie three at the first extra hole.

Tipperary's Marion Riordan finished on 309 after taking 75 and 83 yesterday but the day was a disaster for Cork's Gillian O'Leary who closed with 86 and 85 and ended up on the 323 mark.