The pathway from the amateur ranks to the professional circuits has become something of a conveyor belt in recent years, evidenced by the fact that six of the last eight winners of the AIG Irish Women’s Amateur Close Championship – which gets under way at Ardee Golf Club in Co Louth today – have since moved on to the paid ranks.
Olivia Mehaffey (2016), Sara Byrne (2018, 2023), Annabel Wilson (2019), Anna Foster (2021) and Canice Screene (2024) all have playing privileges on either the LET or Epson Tour, or both, or on the development LET Access circuit.
That move from the amateur to professional has been aided by Golf Ireland’s structuring of late and among those competing in Ardee – where 36 holes strokeplay qualifying will be see the leading 16 players in the women’s and also the girls’ championships move on to the matchplay phase on Thursday and Friday.
One of the favourites for the women’s title is Irish international Emma Fleming from Elm Park who recently made the cut in the KPMG Irish Open at Carton House and earlier this year won the prestige Victorian Women’s Amateur Championship in Australia, which will earn her an invite – as an amateur – to play in a professional tour event down under late this year.
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Fleming is a business and economics student at UCD and any move into the professional ranks is on hold for the time being: “I’ll definitely finish my degree. I’m probably leaning towards the academic route now. My family are very academically based, and I want to have at least a backup.”
For this week, though, the priority for Fleming will be to add her name to a historic trophy.
Victor Dubuisson makes generous gesture on Alps Tour
Ever the enigma, former Ryder Cup player Victor Dubuisson – who retired from the DP World Tour in 2023 – refused to accept the winner’s cheque after winning the Biarritz Cup on the Alps Tour, where he was playing on a sponsor’s exemption.
The principal beneficiary of Dubuisson’s gesture was Spanish runner-up Jorge Maicas who instead claimed the €7,600 top prize on the development tour, while Galway’s Ronan Mullarney – who finished third – got the €5,400 second prize. Mullarney is currently sixth on the Alps Tour order of merit.
Dubuisson (35) was a two-time winner of the Turkish Airlines Open on the DP World Tour (2013 and 2015) and played Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in 2014. He called his decision not to take the prizemoney “a gesture of personal principle.”
Word of Mouth
“It’s the thing that gets me up in the morning. Whether it’s a good day, bad day, it’s the thing that drives me on” – Matt Wallace after his third-place finish in the 3M Open on the PGA Tour on how his bid to make the Europe Ryder Cup team acts as his main incentive. Wallace is currently 11th on the European standings. The six leading players qualify automatically (with Rory McIlroy already qualified in top spot), with captain Luke Donald then selecting six picks to complete the 12-man team for Bethpage.
By the Numbers: 1-3-1
That’s the formline of Lottie Woad in her last three outings: the 21-year-old won the KPMG Irish Open (as an amateur), finished third in the Evian Championship (as an amateur) and won the ISPS Handa Scottish Open (in her professional debut).
On this day: July 29th, 2001
When David Gossett won the John Deere Classic, it was – everyone believed – the start of great things.
It wasn’t to be for the one-time child prodigy, who’d won the 1999 US Amateur and starred for Texas Tech in the collegiate golf circuit had moved onto the then Buy.com on turning professional.
Gossett’s only win on the PGA Tour came in the John Deere Classic where, playing on a sponsor’s exemption, a closing 65 for 265 at TPC Deere Run gave him a one-stroke winning margin over Briny Baird which gave him a full card exemption through to the end of 2003. His winner’s cheque was to prove a career best of $504,000.
“Starting the week, I felt good about my golf game and got myself in good position, then to sleep two nights with the lead and [just] go out and play good golf, play solid,” said the 22-year-old who became the seventh first-time winner on the PGA Tour that season and would even break into the world’s top 100.
However, that would prove to be his only tour success and Gossett eventually changed career when he became a real estate agent in Nashville.
Social Swing
Congratulations @LottieWoad so pleased for you and team Woad .. Absolute ⭐ Enjoy the drive to Wales!! 🍾 – Justin Rose
History! Amazing day at Lahinch Golf Club as member Jonathan Keane wins the South of Ireland 🏆! There were fantastic crowds out for what was a terrific match Vs Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty, coming down to the final putt. Big thank you to @PierseMotors for their continued support – Lahinch Golf Club quite rightly hailing Keane’s win.
Some man @Padraig_h 🏆 ☘️ – Shane Lowry salutes Pádraig Harrington’s ISPS Handa Senior Open success. The Senior Open success at Sunningdale followed his US Senior Open win at Colorado Springs for back-to-back majors on the Champions Tour.
In the Bag
Lottie Woad - ISPS Handa Scottish Open
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees)
3-wood: Titleist GT2 (15 degrees)
Hybrids: Titleist TSR2 (18 and 21 degrees)
Irons: Titleist T150 (5-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50, 54 and 58 degrees)
Putter: Odyssey Rossie
Ball: Titleist 2025 Pro V1
Know the Rules
Q In a match whilst waiting to play on a Par 3, a player gets their caddie to lift the towel covering the opponent’s clubs to see which club their opponent is going to use. What is the ruling?
A The player loses the hole, with the action of lifting the towel to see the club used critical. Such a situation is covered by Rules 10.2a and 10.3c: A player must not touch another player’s equipment to learn information that would be advice if given by or asked of the other player. A player is also responsible for their caddie’s actions.
