Ireland’s leading amateur for the last couple of years, Beth Coulter, who only turned professional four days ago, won on her pro debut in the Ladies European Tour Challenge Tour event at the Malahide Golf Club.
Coulter proved too strong for Korea’s Ayeon Yang in a sudden death playoff at the north Dublin venue, after finishing tied at the top at five-under-par.
The Kirkistown Castle club star entered the final day’s play alone in second place after opening rounds of 73 and 67, to leave her on 3-under-par, just one behind leader Michaela Vavrova of Slovakia.
With the Slovakian fading, the 22 year-old Irish star took advantage, carding a final round of two-under-par 70, to force a play-off.
Coulter got off to a rocky started with bogeys on the fourth and seventh holes, either side of an eagle on the par five sixth. However further birdies followed on 15 and 17 to force extra holes.
The duo replayed the finishing 18th hole, with Coulter cruising to victory with a birdie four, compared to Yang’s bogey six.
Coulter was the only Irish representative on the Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup amateur team which lost to the USA in Los Angeles last month. She was also a member of the Britain and Ireland team which won the Curtis Cup in 2024 at Sunningdale in the south east of England.
After narrowly failing to qualify for the AIG Women’s Open last weekend, Coulter took up an invitation to compete in this week’s three-round event in Malahide which is part of the second tier of women’s professional golf in Europe, the LET Access Tour.
Northern Ireland’s Olivia Mehaffey shot a final round of three-over-par 73 to finish in a tie for 21st.