HAZEL KAVANAGH will require some extra space in her trophy cabinet at this rate. The 24-year old Irish international's renaissance continued in the Irish Women's Close Championship, sponsored by Lancome, at Enniscrone yesterday when she fired a second-round 72 for, level par 146 to claim the Leitrim Cup as leading strokeplay qualifier.
It also says something about the Grange player's renewed confidence that she was content to leave her driver in the bag for the duration of yesterday's round, opting instead to use a three-wood off the tee. I'm fighting a hook with my driver, she calmly explained. But her ball-striking with the smaller implement was extremely solid and, apart from her play of the 11th hole, the shortest par five on the links, her course management was excellent.
Kavanagh, who had endured a pretty dreadful 18 months or so prior to winning the Leinster championship at Seapoint last month (where she also led the qualifiers), has, benefitted from winter coaching from Roger Yates, the professional at The Open Centre; and, yesterday, she earned the distinction of taking the Leitrim trophy with a shot to spare over first-round leader Eileen Rose Power. Mount Juliet's Kate MacCann, another to rediscover her competitive edge, was a further stroke back.
A 10-foot putt for a birdie at the second at 524 yards the longest hole on the course - set Kavanagh on her way and she reeled off eight successive pars before bogeying the 11th while she suffered a double bogey at the 15th when putting her approach into a greenside trap and taking two to get out. However, she collected birdies at the 13th, 16th and 18th to sign for a 72 which was enough to pip Power, who was left to rue a bogey four at the short 17th where she missed the green.
The actual cut off mark with the top 32 players progressing to the matchplay stages which start today came on 164, with local schoolgirl, Marina Gilhawley and Elm Park's Ann O'Riordan, who both finished on that mark, forced to play off for one spot.
Gilhawley, given the day, off from school with the instructions from her teachers to go out and enjoy yourself", was calmed down by the Enniscrone club professional Charlie McGoldrick before her golfing examination and proceeded to win the sudden death with a birdie four at the 16th the first play off hole, where she hit a drive, a five-wood onto the green and safely two-putted for a winning birdie.
There are no major casualties. A number of players who were in dangerous territory responded admirably to the challenge on a clay described, by former champion as one of the most notable fightback, was performed by Ulster champion Laura Webb who matched Kavanagh's 72 on the day with a round that included four birdies.
Alison Coffey, Paula Gorman and Lilian Behan were other players to extricate themselves from potential trouble and safely manoeuvre their respective paths into the matchplay stages which is when the really serious business takes place.
