Meunier Lebouc the strongest

NO ONE was better prepared to cope with the final round tensions in the Guardian Irish Women's Open at Luttrellstown Castle yesterday than eventual winner Patricia Meunier Lebouc, a specialist in neurolinguistic programming, which, apparently, "gives people the confidence to make their own decisions".

So, not surprisingly, the 24-year-old French woman - who is married to PGA European Tour professional Antoine Lebouc - decided to play some productive mind games of her own over the closing holes, and conjured up an eagle three at the 17th that proved decisive in securing a one-shot winning margin over Spain's Laura Navarro.

Meunier Lebouc, who collected a Waterford Crystal trophy and a top prize of £16,500 in claiming her second WPG European Tour success, fired a final round 71 for a four-under-par aggregate of 284. Defending champion Alison Nicholas, who finished two shots behind the winner, was the only other player to finish under par, a testimony to the manner in which the west Dublin course handled Europe's top players.

Yesterday's conditions - minus the wind which caused numerous problems for the first three rounds - were marginally easier, but any unintentional trips off the fairway into the tiger rough brought harsh penalties, as Ireland's top finisher, Maureen Madill, discovered to her cost.

Mad ill's inaccuracy was punished with five bogeys in a six-hole stretch from the ninth. I struggled tee to green all week," she reflected.

The Ulster woman finally got into her groove with a hat-trick of birdies from the 15th, where she sank a 30-footer. Further birdies followed at the 16th and 17th and she actually did well to produce a bogey five at the last after again finding the rough.

Mad ill finished with a final round 75 for five-over-par 293 and 16th place, while Eileen Rose Power was the sole amateur to survive all four rounds.

The battle for the top prize, meanwhile, was being fought out between the threesome of Meunier Lebouc and Navarro (who were in the final threeball) and Nicholas, who was in the match ahead. Indeed, Nicholas appeared to have the initiative when she claimed back-to-back birdies at the 12th and 13th, shortly after Meunier Lebouc had double-bogeyed the short 10th and then bogeyed the 12th.

"I could keep my eye on Laura (Navarro), but I was aware that Alison, ahead of me, was making a charge," recalled Meunier Lebouc. "So, standing on the 14th tee, I gave myself the target to be two-under-par for the remaining boles."

As things transpired, the par five 17th hole, a mere 430 yards to an elevated green, proved crucial. Nicholas only managed a par; but Meunier Lebouc, whose only previous career win came in the English Open in her "rookie" year 1994, played it perfectly. A drive down the middle left her with a seven-iron approach, and the 22-foot eagle putt was brilliantly holed.

Again, her course management at the 18th was superb, and the only possible complication to her two-putt par for the title came from Navarro, who was over the back in two. The Spaniard demonstrated a lovely touch in attempting to hole the chip for a birdie to force a play-off, but the ball slipped by the hole and the French player calmly completed her putting requirements to take the crown.

Meunier Lebouc's win moved her to second place in Europe's Solheim Cup table for next year's match with the United States at Muirfield Village, and into third place, behind her compatriot Marie-Laure de Lorenzi, in the Order of Merit.

"I will continue to set myself targets, but I don't envisage any move to the US Tour. Why should I? There are some good things to do in Europe, my husband and family are here and, certainly, Marie-Laure didn't need to go there," explained Meunier Lebouc. And the first date likely to be jotted into her schedule next season will be to defend her Irish Open title.