LAURA WEBB will have to fend off the challenges of some of Ireland's young up and coming talent if she is to claim a fifth Ulster women's championship when the event starts at Castlerock today.
Last year's winner, Michelle McGreevey, a student at Stirling University, is not defending her title. But Webb still faces the prospect of a mighty battle for the title which will be decided on a matchplay basis tomorrow and Thursday after the top 16 players emerge from today's 36 holes strokeplay qualifying.
Warrenpoint's Alison Coffey and Ballybofey and Stranorlar's Joanne O'Haire are among the emerging young players in the Irish game and could well be Webb's main rivals tar 4 title she previously won in 1989, 1991, 1994 and 1995.
Meanwhile, Hazel Kavanagh confirmed her position as the current queen of the Irish fairway when she captured the Hermitage Scratch Cup, sponsored by Statoil, on Sunday.
Kavanagh, winner of the Leinster championship last month, maintained her fine form when she added the prestige competition to the Royal Co Down Scratch Cup she won earlier this season. The Grange player shot rounds of 76 and 77 for 153, one shot clear of Cork Scratch Cup winner Paula Gorman and Sinead Keane, the defeated Leinster finalist.
