McVeigh battles to Open victory

DANIELLE MCVEIGH produced a dramatic rearguard action to snatch the Ladies British Open Amateur stroke-play title at Royal Aberdeen yesterday.

Five strokes adrift of long-time leader 15-year-old Wiltshire champion Hannah Turland turning for home for the final time, the 22-year-old Vagliano Cup player from Royal County Down overturned the deficit to win by one.

Turland tangled with the sand dunes to suffer back-to-back triple bogeys at the 11th and 12th and came home in an unhappy 44 – a birdie at the last could not save her from an agonising defeat.

In much improved weather – there were blue skies and only a gentle breeze – McVeigh, who won the Welsh Open stroke-play championship back in May, recorded a 72-hole total of 304-16 over par.

McVeigh could not conceal her delight but had words of encouragement, sympathy and praise for Turland who was bidding to become one of the youngest-ever winners of an LGU event.

“I am absolutely thrilled to bits. Being so far behind with nine to play I did not think I had a chance, and I sympathise with Hannah who played really well except for those few holes at the end,” she said.

McVeigh kept her head in the final round, taking only one six and mainly staying out of trouble. Her steady finish of five fours and a five saw her home.

She will now head to Falsterbo in Sweden for next week’s European championships in buoyant mood.

Ciara Butler from Newlands fell away badly in the last round, slumping to an 88 for a 324 aggregate and a share of 35th place while Louise Mernagh of Woodenbridge ended on 328 in joint 40th spot after a lacklustre final day.

Meanwhile, Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar moved up the leaderboard in the third round of the European Amateur Individual Championship at Chantilly, north of Paris.

The St Andrews Links Trophy player returned a two under par 69 for a 54-hole aggregate of 214 and lies in joint 13th place, admittedly six strokes off the pace. Dunbar had three birdies and just one bogey in a very solid round.

Sharing the lead with 18 holes remaining are Scottish internationals Ross Kellett and James Byrne. Apart from Dunbar it was a pretty sorry story for the Irish, with Dubliner Niall Kearney the best of the rest on 222.

Irish scores: 214 A Dunbar (Rathmore) 67,78,69, 222 N Kearney (Royal Dublin)72,74,76, 226 P O’Kane (Moyola Park) 72,80,74, S Ward (Co Louth) 75,76,75, P Cutler (Portstewart) 71,79,76, 227 A Hogan (Newlands) 74,72,81.