Second successive win for Aideen Walsh

*Aideen Walsh. Photo: Thos Caffrey / Golffile.

ENNIS golfer Aideen Walsh extended her lead at the top of the Women’s Bridgestone Order of Merit after a second successive win, when she claimed the Carlow Women’s Scratch Cup with a five-shot victory over the weekend.

By Caomh Breen Allen

Taking place across two days the 54-hole event gave the competitors an opportunity to gain some valuable World Amateur Golf Ranking points in the sunny southeast.

Fresh off her Lahinch Women’s Scratch Cup win at her home course, Walsh came into the weekend full of confidence and continued where she left off, to lead by one shot heading into day two.

Walsh kept up her fantastic form across the final two rounds and on Sunday she carded a final round -3, for a -5 total of 220, comfortably claiming the title by five shots ahead of Ellen O’Shaughnessy (Co Louth).

That win sees Walsh move 144 points clear of her nearest rival, Anna Abom (Edmondstown), at the top of the standings. Abom played a solid opening round in Carlow carding the lowest gross score of 74 in round one.

Following her solid second place finish, O’Shaughnessy makes her first appearance on the Women’s Bridgestone Order of Merit going straight into tenth place. Kate Dwyer (Rossmore) is the biggest mover this week, as she jumped from sixth to third.

Next up on the women’s schedule is the Cork Scratch Cup (27 April) while less than two weeks remain before the men get their chance to close the gap on Keith Egan (Carton House) at the top of their Bridgestone Order of Merit.

The Munster Men’s Strokeplay Championship tees off in Cork on 4 May with 54 holes of stroke play set to decide this year’s champion.