R\u00f3is\u00edn Scanlon is looking forward to competing on Irish soil for the first time this season when the Woburn golfer tees up at the inaugural North of Ireland Women\u2019s Amateur Open Championship at Lough Erne.<\/p>\n
The fourth and final of Golf Ireland\u2019s new regional championships gets underway today, with 57 players competing to become the first winner of the North of Ireland Women\u2019s title at the Sir Nick Faldo designed parkland in Fermanagh.<\/p>\n
As with the South, West and East before it, the championship will see players compete over 36 holes of stroke play on Sunday before a cut ahead of the final 18 holes on Monday.<\/p>\n
Scanlon has produced some impressive performances over the past 18 months, with victory at the Helen Holm Scottish Women\u2019s Open Championship marking a breakthrough moment before she helped Ireland to a bronze medal at the European Girls\u2019 Team Championship and made the cut at the Women\u2019s Irish Challenge.<\/p>\n
Since joining the Albany Golf Academy in the Bahamas, Scanlon has continued her upward trajectory, claiming the Barbados Junior National Championship in March before making a second professional cut at the Mada\u00ebf Golf ladies Open in Morocco.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen a big growth in my game since going to Albany Academy,\u201d said Scanlon.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo see not only an improvement in my game, but then also playing at a professional level and being able to see myself improve against other players.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scanlon will face a strong challenge over the next two days from an impressive field that includes fellow Golf Ireland Women\u2019s High Performance panellists Jessica Ross (Clandeboye), Olivia Costello (Roscommon), Ellen O\u2019Shaughnessy (Co. Louth) and Aideen Walsh (Lahinch), with Walsh joining Scanlon and Aaliyah Irwin (Crosland Heath) in Sunday\u2019s opening two rounds.<\/p>\n
Having recently completed her studies at Windsor High School in Barbados, Scanlon was determined to return to Ireland and add the North to her summer schedule.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really wanted to play it,\u201d said Scanlon.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love playing in Ireland. It has the best golf courses in the world. I love playing over here and I want to play over here as much as possible when my schedule allows, so I definitely wanted to play this one.\u201d<\/p>\n
With a scholarship to Texas Tech University coming later this year, Scanlon is hoping to claim her first Irish championship and become the first player to have her name etched on the North of Ireland Women\u2019s trophy before taking the next step in her golfing career.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would mean a lot,\u201d said Scanlon.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn golf, you lose much more than you win so winning is rare. A lot of times you perform well, or you win an event and then it\u2019s on to the next and you don\u2019t always get the time to soak up the glory. I won a tournament a few months ago so I would like to win another one and be able to soak it up, especially in Ireland which obviously is special to myself and my family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Play gets underway at 7.30am on Sunday as Caitlin Wilson (Portstewart) and Paula Bleakley (Shandon Park) lead out the field, before Scanlon, Walsh and Irwin begin their championship from 9.50am.<\/p>\n