Spoiled by the hot, humid and low-scoring conditions of the semi-final, 30 women once more descended on picturesque Glasson Golf and Country Club, in Athlone, Co Westmeath, last week to play off the final stage of the Mitsubishi Motors The Irish Times Ladies Masters under considerably different circumstances.

Clouds and a fresh breeze coming off Lough Ree replaced the sun and heat on a day where scores were never going to match the 47 points Jenny Bourke posted when she topped the semi-final outing.

Under such conditions you'd imagine experience would lend a hand and steady the ship in what was a much tougher golfing day. Instead, it was the youngest player in the draw, 15-year-old Grainne O'Connor, who controlled her game and the elements to win the event with a Stableford score of 40 points.

Galway GC, who played an enthusiastic part in encouraging the winner, can take a bow for their active efforts to bring on junior golfers.

"The club are always encouraging and getting junior players to compete in competitions," said O'Connor. "It was very windy for the front nine but I suppose I'm used to it in Galway. I hope to be here again."

Playing off a handicap of 24, the Galway teenager, despite blanking the par three third hole that played at least two clubs longer than its 154 yards, collected 19 points on the front nine to add to 21 on the back.

In the end she just edged out Navan GC's Gemma Jennings on 39 points and third-placed Ursula Kyne-Fahy from Newcastle West on 36 points.

The event is in its fifth year and all of the players graduated to the final from nationwide qualifiers followed by a provincial qualification event, which was also the semi-final.

The winner has only been playing the game for three years after taking it up when she was 12.

"Dad (Seán) has been in the club for a while. He plays off three and mum (Sabena) took it up this year so they both help me along with my coach David Kearney at Galway driving range.

"But the club have a very good junior committee and they've helped a lot this year. We get coaching during the week and we've regular competitions on Thursday mornings."

The Coláiste Chroí Mhuire student could have been playing in the Connacht Shield with her school against Galway Bay on the same day but she wisely chose Glasson. Also a basketballer and Gaelic footballer with Salthill, the golf is enthusiastically squeezed in to a hectic sporting week.

"I play basketball twice a week and Gaelic football twice a week and the golf is played in between. There's no time for anything else," she says. "I've no favourite. I love them all. But it's great to play on a course like this, which was in great condition."

Pars on the 294-yard par four ninth and on both par three holes on the back nine added nine points to the overall total, the more consistent back nine finally earning her the trophy.

Jennings shot 21 points on the front nine but could not find the pars on the back nine to push her total above 18 points while Kyne-Fahy, playing off a 20 handicap, had a slowish start, collecting 16 points to the turn before adding 20 more on the back nine for her 36 point total.

"It is one of the finest competitions of its kind I know of," said course designer and former Ryder Cup player Christy O'Connor junior, who inimitably hosted the round and played a hole with each of the 10 three-balls.

"The interest in the event is quite unbelievable and it's certainly one of the best I have been attending. I love it when the interest is bubbling and the scoring too was fantastic."

Nuala Reilly from Corrstown won the back nine competition with Ballybunion's Nora Quaid's 19-point total winning the front nine despite the fact that her best hole of the day, the 415-yard 10th, served up an eagle three. In all, 176 clubs from around the country took part, comprising 714 entrants.

FINAL SCORES

Winner: Grainne O'Connor 24 (Galway GC) 40 pts.

Second: Gemma Jennings 22 (Navan GC) 39 pts.

Third: Ursula Kyne-Fahy 20 (Newcastle West) 36 pts.

Front nine: Nora Quaid 14 (Ballybunion) 19 pts.

Back nine: Nuala Reilly 18 (Corrstown)19 pts.

Longest drive: Kate Davis (Bandon).

Nearest the pin: Anne Croft (Newlands).