KIRKISTOWN Castle golfer Beth Coulter has revealed how she almost missed the news of her selection as the only Northern Ireland player on the Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team for the match at Sunningdale between Friday, August 30 and Sunday, September 1.
Beth, Sara Byrne (Douglas) and Áine Donegan (Lahinch) are the three Irish representatives on the team while Anna Foster (Elma Park) is first reserve. Three English and two Scottish players have also been selected.
The Curtis Cup is the most prestigious team trophy for women amateur golfers and contested biennially by teams representing Great Britain and Ireland and the United States.
Beth (20), reacted: “It’s very surreal. I had my phone on do not disturb when I got the call from Catriona Matthew. When I saw it, I just looked at my dad and was like, ‘Oh God this is happening,” said Coulter.
“With three Irish on the team it’s going to be really exciting. I know a lot of us have worked really hard for this over the last number of years. We have come up through the ranks together, Sara and Áine are two of my best friends in golf. This is the pinnacle and to get to do that with them, it’s really really cool.
“The three of us were at that Curtis Cup in 2016, there is a photo of me and Áine standing together. Even just looking at that, when we got selected we sent it to each other and we were like, we’re going to do this together now.
“Irish golf has made really great strides for women. You seen that at Europeans, we had the best finish for the last 41 years. That’s down to the great work that the coaches and the panels are doing with us, it’s starting to pay off.”
Lauren Walsh (2021, 2022), Annabel Wilson (2021), Olivia Mehaffey (2016, 2018), Maria Dunne (2016) and Leona Maguire (2016) have all represented Ireland in The Curtis Cup in recent years.
Catriona Matthew is the Team Captain with Gillian Roy the Team Manager in a match that was first played in 1932. The format is three foursomes and three fourball matches on each of the first two days, and eight singles matches on the final day.
“This is a huge achievement for Irish amateur golf. Having Sara, Beth and Áine selected is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and exceptional talent. It also highlights the strength and depth of Golf Ireland’s High Performance pathway, and it is a proud moment for everyone involved in Irish golf,” said Golf Ireland CEO, Mark Kennelly.
“This achievement is not only a celebration of our current crop of players but also an inspiration for young golfers across the country. We look forward to seeing how they perform at Sunningdale, and we are confident they will make Ireland proud.
“Their journey and success will undoubtedly motivate many more golfers to pursue their dreams and continue to elevate the standard of Irish golf.”
Great Britain & Ireland team
Sara Byrne (Douglas)
Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle)
Aine Donegan (Lahinch)
Hannah Darling (Broomieknowe, Scotland)
Lorna McClymont (Milngavie, Scotland)
Euphemie Rhodes (Burnham & Berrow, England)
Patience Rhodes (Burnham & Berrow, England)
Lottie Woad (Farnham, England)
Reserves:
Anna Foster (Elm Park)
Nellie Ong (Eaton, England).
