Olivia Mehaffey shows her class in Irish Ladies Close Championship

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.

World number eight Mehaffey, 18, justified her favouritism in an event that produced some great matches and added her name to those of other greats like Philomena Garvey, Mary McKenna and Claire Hourihane. She already has a string of major titles to her credit including this year’s Irish and Welsh Stroke Play Championships and she is poised to lead Britain and Ireland into battle in next month’s Curtis Cup match against the US at Dun Laoire.

Nevertheless, she was made to battle all the way to the final green before getting the better of a doughty opponent in Louise Coffey. Both players had coasted through the morning semi-finals, Mehaffey beating local hope and leading qualifier Sinead Sexton by 5 and 4 while Coffey got home at the 12th against Aoife Lowry from Tipperary.