Mary McKenna knocked in a 10-foot putt on the home green at Aberdovey yesterday to win the Senior Women's British Open Amateur Championship at her first attempt.

That was the only putt of any note that the 52-year-old, nine-time capped Curtis Cup player and former Irish champion holed during the third and final round played in horrendous weather.

That gave her a birdie four on the 409-yard 18th for a closing score of 80 and a 54-hole total of 230. That was enough to earn her victory by a stroke from Bristol's English Seniors Strokeplay champion Ros Page.

McKenna, from Donabate, had gone into the final round two strokes clear of her West Country rival, but that disappeared on the outward half which she covered in 37 to the 35 of Page.

A par four at the 10th gave Page a narrow advantage, but she double-bogeyed the short 12th to fall behind the Irish star.

Two holes later McKenna dropped a stroke and allowed Page to get back on terms, but Page then three-putted the 16th. Page birdied the next, but McKenna's closing birdie made the difference.

McKenna follows in the footsteps of fellow champions from Ireland, Gerladine Costello in 1985 and Valerie Hassett five years ago.

Hassett, from Ennis, who, as well as winning in 1996 has been runner-up three times, finished in joint eighth place on 242, with rounds of 78, 81 and 83.

Royal Portrush's Jane Allen was joint 15th on 245; Mary Sinton (Dundalk) ended up on 260 and took 46th place and Kath Stewart-Moore from Royal Portrush was on 261 in 47th spot.