Vicki Thomas leads Irish senior women's
open stroke play by two from Helen Jones

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
2006 Champion Vicki Thomas fired a best of the day 78 to lead the field ahead of the final round of the Irish Senior Women’s Open Stroke-play Championship at Lisburn Golf Club today.
Thomas, a seasoned Welsh International, birdied the third hole to turn level par and a steady return journey in bleek wintry conditions saw her secure pole position and on course for her second title in three years.
Overnight leader Helen Jones started nervously and after two double bogeys in the outward stretch, steadied the ship to sign for 84 to finish just two shots off the pace.
Canada’s Ivy Steinberg recorded a solid 80 to lie one shot further back alongside country mate Phyllis Laschuk who returned 82 as conditions deteriorated in the afternoon.
Irish Close Champion Sheena O’Brien Kenney (Grange) found the going difficult on the outward stretch but pared home from the fourteenth tee to card an impressive 80 in the worst of the conditions.
Defending Champion Alison Murdoch’s 81 sees her eight shots off the pace and will need an exceptional final round to secure back to back victories.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s team of Helen Jones, Mary Madden and Sheena O’Brien Kenney held off a late challenge by Canada to win the team event by one stroke with Wales in third place, four shots behind.
The top 40 players, including ties, play a final 18 holes tomorrow to decide this year’s Champion.

THURSDAY'S FINAL ROUND
TEE TIMES
08:30 Noreen Granard (Portarlington) Margaret Boomer (Lisburn).
08:38 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) Sue Pidgeon (ENG).
08:46 Pauline Bailie (Belvoir Park) Mary Kavanagh (New Ross).
08:54 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) Judy Collins (CAN).
09:02 Linda Bedry (CAN) Nano Brennan (Elm Park).
09:10 Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) Mairead MacNamara (Woodbrook).
09:18 Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford) Carmel Cahill (Hermitage).
09:26 Angela Colm (CAN) Cornelia Fischer (GER).
09:34 Marleen Nijhof (BEL) Rhona Brennan (Bandon).
09:42 Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) Ruth Lindley (ENG).
09:50 Jean O'Connor (WAL) Jane Gardner (Malone).
09:58 Holly Horwood (CAN) Eileen MacMullen (Donegal).
10:06 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) Deborah Jamgochian (USA).
10:14 Alison Murdoch (CAN) Pauline Walsh ( Headfort).
10:22 Julie Morrison (Belvoir Park) Sheena O'Brien Kenney (Grange).
10:30 Diane Williams (CAN) Keren Pultz (CAN).
10:38 Phyllis Laschuk (CAN) Pamela Williamson (SCO).
10:46 Vicki Thomas (WAL) Helen Jones (Strabane) Ivy Steinberg (CAN)
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
CSS 77RO 77
160 Vicki Thomas (WAL) 82 78
162 Helen Jones (Strabane) 78 84
163 Ivy Steinberg (CAN) 83 80 Phyllis Laschuk (CAN) 81 82
164 Pamela Williamson (SCO) 85 79 Diane Williams (CAN) 79 85
165 Keren Pultz (CAN) 83 82
166 Julie Morrison (Belvoir Park) 86 80
167 Sheena O'Brien Kenney (Grange) 87 80
168 Alison Murdoch (CAN) 87 81 Pauline Walsh ( Headfort) 87 81
169 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 87 82
170 Deborah Jamgochian (USA) 87 83
171 Holly Horwood (CAN) 84 87
172 Eileen MacMullen (Donegal) 89 83 Jean O'Connor (WAL) 89 83
173 Jane Gardner (Malone) 84 89
174 Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) 89 85 Ruth Lindley (ENG) 89 85 Marleen Nijhof (BEL) 88 86
175 Rhona Brennan (Bandon) 90 85 Angela Colm (CAN) 90 85 Cornelia Fischer (GER) 89 86 Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford) 89 86
176 Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) 91 85 Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) 90 86 Mairead MacNamara (Woodbrook) 89 87
177 Linda Bedry (CAN) 87 90
178 Nano Brennan (Elm Park) 94 84 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 93 85
179 Judy Collins (CAN) 91 88 Pauline Bailie (Belvoir Park) 91 88 Mary Kavanagh (New Ross) 89 90 Sue Pidgeon (ENG) 87 92
180 Catherine Carty (Tullamore) 91 89 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) 88 92
181 Margaret Boomer (Lisburn) 93 88
182 Mary McKenna (Donabate) 93 89 Helen O'Donoghue (Clonmel) 92 90
183 Noreen Granard (Portarlington) 94 89

NON-QUALIFIERS
184 Judith Henry (Lisburn) 95 89 Keren Howard (CAN) 95 89 Kay McCartan (Greenore) 94 90 Pat Bennett (ENG) 94 90 Mary Geaney (Killarney) 91 93
185 Doris Brunner (SWI) 98 87 Joan McVeigh (Belvoir Park) 95 90
186 Mary McGoey (Greenore) 96 90
187 Kath Stewart-Moore (Royal Portrush) 97 90 Pamela Morgan (Lahinch) 95 92
188 Marianne Copp (ENG) 94 94 Maj-Britt Laempe (SWE) 91 97 Maggie Gray (USA) 91 97
189 Rosemary McFadden (Whitehead) 93 96
190 Linda Ward (CAN) 94 96
191 Maureen Charleton (Lisburn) 93 98
192 Maureen Bryson (Lisburn) 99 93 Ann Conway (New Ross) 99 93
194 Noreen McCluskey (Lisburn) 96 98
195 Roisin McCann (Downpatrick) 95 100 Mavis Goodhall (ENG) 94 101
196 Angela Treacy (New Ross) 100 96 Anna Somers (Cill Dara) 99 97
198 Mai McCann (Narin & Portnoo) 101 97 Judy Clarke (Royal Portrush) 98 100
199 Anne Stewart (Belvoir Park) 102 97 Carol McBratney (Lisburn) 96 103
203 Sheila Bodmer O'Keefe (SWI) 102 101
205 Mary Mather (Cill Dara) 109 96
206 Joceline Breccolini (SWI) 105 101
209 Josephine Kilmartin (Tipperary) 103 106
212 Marie McGrattan (Ardminnan) 112 100
RTD Roma English (Larne) 94 RTD
NR Margaret Rosbotham (Lisburn) NR 99
WD Elaine Laing (Royal Belfast) 96 WD Carol Kinsella (Waterford) 99 WD Mary Lalor (Roscommon) 102 WD
DSQ Hilary Bradley (Lisburn) 107 DSQ

TEAM EVENT
(2 scores from 3 to count each day)
327 IRELAND Helen Jones 78 [84] Mary Madden 87 82 Sheena O'Brien Kenney [87] 80
328 CANADA Holly Horwood [84] [87] Phylis Laschuk 81 82 Keren Pultz 83 82
332 WALES Jean O'Connor 89 83 Vicki Thomas 82 78
340 CANADA Linda Bedry 87 [90] Angela Colm [90] 85 Alison Murdoch 87 81
354 IRELAND Valerie Hassett [93] 85 Marilyn Henderson 90 86 Mary McKenna 93 [89]
358 ENGLAND Pat Bennett [94] 90 Marianne Copp 94 [94] Ruth Lindley 89 85
358 USA Maggie Gray 91 97 Deborah Jamgochian 87 83
374 ENGLAND Mavis Goodhall 94 101 Sue Pidgeon 87 92
388 SWITZERLAND Jocelyn Breccolini [105] 101 Doris Brunner 98 87 Sheila Bodmer O'Keefe 102 [101]