Defending champion Aideen Walsh is right in contention heading into the weekend at Tipperary. Photo: Thos Caffrey / Golffile.
REIGNING champion Aideen Walsh got the defence of her Irish Mid-Amateur Women’s title off to a solid start as the Ennis golfer shares the day one lead with Kanturk’s Mairead Martin.
By Caomh Breen Allen
Playing together for their opening two rounds, Walsh and Martin shot a level par 72, the only players in the women’s field to do so on a tough day in Tipperary, as it sees them two shots clear of Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe).
Both players have tasted Scratch Cup success this season and with two more rounds left to play in the Premier County, both will be eager to add to their already stacked 2024 trophy cabinets.
Walsh scored an opening round 71 when picking up this title last October and started her defence in a similar fashion, -2 for her opening nine before a closing 37 had the Bridgestone Order of Merit leader signing for a first round 72, an up-and-down afternoon with five birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey on the Par 3 13th.
“Happy enough, I had a kind of poor run towards the end of the back nine so I was disappointed with that, but I was happy to birdie the 18th to finish,” Aideen said on Friday evening.
“I obviously got the news that I am playing in the KPMG Women’s Irish Open next week so I have played a lot of match play this summer so I kind of just needed a good stroke play event just to get me back into it. This is perfect preparation, still 36 holes to go so I’ll do my best and see what happens”.
Martin too carded an almost identical round, an eagle on nine highlighting an opening 34 before bogeys on 12, 13 and 14 meant a share of the lead heading into day two.
Allan Kiernan sets the pace in the Men’s Championship, as the Forrest Little golfer takes a one-shot overnight lead.
Kiernan was one of the early starters on Friday morning and quicky got into a good rhythm, out in 35 with three birdies in his opening nine holes setting the tone for the day. The back nine continued strongly and despite carding bogeys on 11 and 15, an eagle sandwiched in between on the Par 4 14th helped him on his way to a -4 total of 68, and a one-shot lead over Quentin Carew (Castleknock).
