Humphreys wins by six at Baltray
Lily May Humphreys (England) winner of the 2019 Irish Women's Open Strokeplay at Co Louth Golf Club to (12/05/2019). Picture by Pat Cashman
England’s Lily May Humphreys romped to a six-stroke victory in the Irish Women's Open Strokeplay and set her sights on the LPGA Tour.
Just seven days after securing the Welsh Women’s Open Stroke Play at Royal St David’s, the 17-year old Curtis Cup player closed with a one-under 73 at County Louth to win on 10-under par 212 from the Netherlands' Romy Meekers, who was second for the second year running.
Hazel MacGarvie finished a shot further back in third, helping Scotland win the Nations Cup with teammates Shannon McWilliam (fourth) and Chloe Goadby (tied eighth) by two strokes from Humphreys, Nicola Slater and Cara Gainer.
“The aim today was to try and just make my pars and take opportunities for birdies when they came – I knew the opportunities weren’t going to be many given the wind so it was about not giving shots away,” Humphreys said.
"I did a pretty good job of that on the front nine - I hit three greens and was only one over par so I was quite impressed with myself. I hit eight greens on the back nine which helped settle me and it was a lot less stressful coming in.”
Humphreys wants to follow in the footsteps of Georgia Hall, Charley Hull and Lexi Thompson on the LPGA Tour but she won’t turn professional just yet.
“I’ve been home schooled and next year I have my A-levels,” she said. "After that I’m hoping to turn professional and I want to go to LPGA Q-School but I am going to go to LET Q-School this year to get the experience.
"Hopefully I’ll secure some LET invites then to get more experience and move me up a level so I am ready to turn then.”
County Louth veteran Deirdre Smith was the best of the Irish on one-under par after a 74 but insisted that wasn’t her motivation, joking she’d been "round for 100 years!”
“At the end of the day, I go out there because I enjoy myself, I’m not trying to prove anything, I’m not thinking about scores, I’m only thinking about enjoying it and I really enjoyed the challenge today to be honest,” she said.
“Just keep enjoying it, if you do that you’ll have longevity but if you’re putting pressure on yourself and you’re trying to score, that’s short term, because if you don’t meet those expectations you end up giving up.
"If you go out to enjoy yourself, focus on what the sport offers you, the friendships, the fun, the exercise, the fresh air and the courses – you’re a winner every time.”
Irish Women's Open Strokeplay, County Louth GC (Par 74)
212 L Humphreys (ENG) 67 72 73;
218 R Meekers (NED) 72 72 74;
219 H MacGarvie (SCO) 71 71 77;
220 S McWilliam (SCO) 74 74 72;
221 D Smith (Co. Louth) 75 72 74;
222 E Brennan (ENG) 74 73 75, E Gower (ENG) 72 75 75;
225 P Grant (Lisburn) 73 77 75, C Goadby (SCO) 71 75 79;
226 A Donegan (Lahinch) 79 74 73, C McGinty (ENG) 76 73 77, S Burke (Ballinrobe) 75 74 77, N Armbruester (SUI) 74 74 78;
227 N Slater (ENG) 78 74 75, P Brown (ENG) 78 71 78, E Briggs (SCO) 71 76 80;
229 A Foster (Elm Park) 78 73 78, C Gainer (ENG) 77 75 77;
230 S Byrne (Douglas) 75 79 76, A Muirhead (SCO) 74 78 78;
231 J O'Driscoll (Muskerry) 77 79 75, L McClymont (SCO) 77 78 76, K O'Connor (WAL) 77 77 77, J Goh (SGP) 74 79 78;
232 E Lewis (ENG) 76 76 80, E Danielsson (FIN) 75 77 80;
235 L Simpson (Massereene) 81 74 80, J Ryan (WAL) 77 75 83, L Mernagh (Elm Park) 76 78 81, C Coughlan (Douglas) 74 82 79;
236 A Dawson (Tramore) 81 80 75, C Noja (Germany) 79 76 81, H Hall (Enniscrone) 78 81 77;
237 L Jones (WAL) 84 75 78, M Fraser (SCO) 80 79 78, O Purfield-Goulding (Co. Louth) 77 83 77;
238 L Bramwell (WAL) 77 80 81;
239 G Shears (AUS) 81 83 75;
240 E Corcoran (Grange) 79 81 80, B Rook (ENG) 78 81 81, E Murray (Co. Louth) 77 79 84;
241 N Joyce Moreno (Royal Portrush) 83 80 78, R Thompson (Cork) 80 75 86;
242 H Barker (ENG) 77 79 86;
243 J Browne (Kilkenny) 82 82 79;
244 L Temple Lang (Elm Park) 74 87 83;
245 I Simpson (ENG) 80 82 83;
246 G Carr (Ireland) 83 80 83;
249 M Vater (ENG) 81 82 86;
253 C Shippam (Ballykisteen) 81 81 91;
RTD C Casey (Hermitage) 77 83.
CUT
165 M Doyle (The Heath) 83 82;
166 L Murray (Delgany) 82 84, J Allen (Royal Portrush) 80 86;
169 E Thorne (Elm Park) 86 83, A Greham (Ballina) 78 91;
170 E Fenlon (Grange) 85 85, E Fleming (Elm Park) 84 86;
171 B O'Keeffe (ENG) 88 83;
172 A Sawyer (ENG) 89 83, X Rama (Carton House) 89 83;
173 L Kelly (Ballykisteen) 87 86, A Thompson (Cork) 87 86;
175 C Hopkins (Woodbrook) 87 88;
176 K Poots (Knock) 87 89;
178 C McGonagle (Portsalon) 87 91;
RTD T Gordon (Laytown & Bettystown) 101.
