Leary blows past the field

SOME PLAYERS, and spectators, were noticed blinking furiously and rubbing their eyes as if they were witnessing an optical illusion when Jane Leary's score was posted in big, red letters on boards around the course. Indeed, such actions of incredulity were quite acceptable given that Leary, a patrol policewoman from Perth in Western Australia, had just shot a six-under-par 66 in yesterday's first round of the Guardian Irish Women's Open at Luttrellstown Castle.

The only unsurprising element of her score, set early in the day, was that it comfortably retained its position at the head of the field. Even a seasoned campaigner like Maureen Madill was left somewhat bemused by Leary's dismantling of the course. "Only I was playing in the match directly behind her, I would find it hard to believe - but I can vouch for the fact that she did indeed play all 18 holes," quipped Madill.

On a day when the rain, mercifully, stayed away, but a stiff wind - playing across many of the holes - acted as a tormentor, Leary unquestionably stole the show. Wearing a Slieve Russell sweater (her husband, Don, who was acting as caddy, hails from Newtownbutler in Co Fermanagh) in an ensemble that included a thermal vest, gloves and woolly hat, Leary's endeavours left her five shots ahead of the only other two players to better par, Caroline Hall and Federica Dassu, both of whom had 71s.

Alison Nicholas, the defending champion, returned a one-over-par 73 and was among those in praise of Leary's feat, although it doesn't count as a course record because placing was allowed on the fairways due to heavy over-night rain. "Very, very good," Nicholas proffered, before adding:

"But you don't win tournaments in the first round."

Leary (34), turned professional only in 1994 and is playing the European Tour, with Don, who is on long-service leave from his job as a bank manager, carrying her bag.

Still, she reverts to her job as a patrolwoman in the off-season, Australia's summer. "I had become disenchanted with the amateur game and felt I wasn't getting the chances I deserved. When it was put to me that I should consider playing professionally, I thought, `Why not?' It is a lot better to be playing for yourself," she said.

The Australian was due a change of luck, too, given that she had recorded holes-in-one at successive tournaments in the Danish and Swiss Opens inside the past month, only to miss out on prizes of cars which were on offer at different holes in those events. "I only ever figured on the leaderboard in a professional tournament once before, at the Swiss, but went out the back door pretty quickly," said Leary, who is 47th in the Order of Merit.

The Irish gave a good account of themselves, too. Madill professed to being reasonably satisfied with a "workmanlike" round of 74 which gives her the chance to aim for a top 10 finish, at least, while former Irish champion Barbara Hackett, who finished as leading amateur in last year's British Open, also had a 74. Curtis Cup player Eileen Rose Power, meanwhile, shot 78, a score matched, by Hazel Kavanagh.