EILEEN ROSE POWER reasserted her position as Ireland's top female golfer with a victory in the Irish strokeplay championship at Grange yesterday.
A two over par 54 hole aggregate gave her the championship by two shots from Lisa Dermott.
Power shot a 76 yesterday but Saturday morning's 69 laid the foundation for her victory. It included four birdies and just one bogey and gave her a two shot lead.
However, a mixed start to yesterday's round did not augur well for her chances of holding on to that advantage. After nine Power was four over par. She seemed to make a recovery with birdies at the 15th and 16th holes but threw away that work with bogeys at the 17th and 18th.
However, those in striking range never made a move. Lisa Dermott, the Welsh champion and a member of the recent victorious Curtis Cup team, lay two shots behind Power going into the final round, but she too had a 76.
Elaine Dowdall, the 19 year old Wexford golfer, justified her call up to the senior Leinster team by finishing seventh. Dowdall started the championships poorly with a six over par 78, but steadily improved over the next two rounds' scoring a 75 and a 74.