Coffey relishes a challenge

The tougher the course, it seems, the better Alison Coffey - Ireland's leading women's amateur player - responds to the challenge.

So it was on a number of occasions this year, most notably in retaining her Irish Women's Close championship title on a links at The European Club that put the fear of God into some players in the strokeplay qualifying. And also in making a successful raid to claim the prestigious St Rule Trophy over the Old Course at St Andrews.

In the final of the Irish Close, Coffey was three down after four holes to former champion Claire Coughlan. By the 12th hole, however, Coffey had taken a one-hole lead . . . and events on that hole that runs by the Irish Sea were to effectively provide the impetus for the Warrenpoint player to go on and win the title.

Bunkered off the tee, Coffey could do little more than chip out while her opponent played a fine approach shot to 18 feet. Coffey's third shot still left her 15 feet from the flag. But, when Coughlan missed her birdie putt, and Coffey holed her par putt, it signalled something more important than merely sharing the hole.

Coffey went into overdrive and ended the match - by a 4 and 3 margin - on the 15th green. It meant the Warrenpoint player, who was also the leading strokeplay qualifier for the second year, had retained her national title.

While that success confirmed Coffey's status as leading Irish player, the win in the St Rule in June, a month previously, was an important international victory.

Perhaps she had an inkling that something special was afoot when holing out with a three-wood for an albatross on the second hole of her penultimate round.