Maynooth University students took three of the six podium places at the R&A Student Series event at Malone Golf Club in Belfast, with Anna Dawson suffering a heartbreaking playoff loss in the women’s category.
Dawson began the day four strokes behind fellow Maynooth University teammate, Anna Abom, but a six-under-par 66 saw her set the clubhouse target at -4.
It was a slow start, however, as she bogeyed two and four to find herself two-over through seven, but then a birdie on eight sparked an incredible revival. The Tramore woman reeled off three birdies in-a-row to start the back nine, then added two more on 14 and 16 before a stunning eagle on the par-5 17th saw her home in 29 strokes.
Australian Caitlin Maurice of St Andrews University in Scotland came into the final round trailing Abom by one but a calm and collected bogey-free three-under-par round saw her tie Dawson, and then a birdie on the second playoff hole secured victory.
Abom’s hopes of victory were dealt a severe blow when she bogeyed three of the first seven and failed to pick up the ground needed over the following seven, but three birdies in the final four holes – including back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 – were enough to secure a third-place finish and some silverware.
In the men’s competition, Sam Haynes-Coote of the University of Exeter shot a six-under 64 to storm to a two-stroke win over Joel Eliasson of Helmstad University in Sweden. The Englishman started with a bogey then birdied three of the next eight to move to within striking distance, and added four more birdies on the back as Eliasson carded nine straight pars to finish.
Maynooth’s James Walsh made three bogeys but also carded five birdies – including back-to-back gains on 16 and 17 – to come through to finish third.
FULL SCORING
L-R: James Walsh, Joel Eliasson, Caitlin Maurice, Sam Haynes-Coote, Anna Dawson, Anna Abom
