Golf

Olivia Mehaffey and Paula Grant named in Curtis Cup team

Leona Maguire will turn professional before the match in June

Olivia Mehaffey in action during the 2016 Curtis Cup in Dún Laoghaire Golf Club. Mehaffey will make her second appearance in the match in June in New York. Photograph: Colm O’Neill/Inpho

Thu Apr 26 2018 - 15:21

Irish golfers Olivia Mehaffey and Paula Grant have been named in the eight-strong Britain and Ireland team for June’s Curtis Cup match against the United States in New York.

Mehaffey, from Royal County Down Ladies, will play her second Curtis cup after making her debut in the victory over the USA at Dún Laoghaire in 2016.

The 20-year-old Arizona State University student will also play for the international team to play the United States in the Arnold Palmer Cup at Evian in France in July.

Lisburn golfer Grant won the 2017 Irish Women’s Close Championship,her second win in the event in five years , and led the qualifiers after the strokeplay stage of the 2017 Ladies British Open Amateur Championship at Pyle & Kenfig.

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Leona Maguire, currently the number two golfer in the women’s world amateur rankings, will turn professional next month and has ruled herself out of contention for selection.

Annabel Wilson, a 17-year-old from Lurgan, has been named as non-travelling reserve for the Britain and Ireland team.

English teenagers Lily May Humphreys, 16, and Annabell Fuller, 15, in a team with an average age of just 19.

Elaine Farquharson-Black, who will captain GB&I for the second time, said: “There have been a number of players throughout Great Britain and Ireland who have been in impressive form recently and it was a difficult decision to select only eight.

“The players selected will now have a wonderful opportunity to perform on the international stage in one of the world’s most prestigious events and I’m sure that they will give their very best as we attempt to retain the trophy against a talented team from the United States.”

BRITAIN AND IRELAND CURTIS CUP TEAM

India Clyburn (21, Woodhall Spa, England Lily May Humphreys (16, Stoke-by-Nayland, England) Annabell Fuller (15, Roehampton, England

Sophie Lamb (20, Clitheroe, England)

Paula Grant (24, Lisburn, Ireland)

Shannon McWilliam (18, Aboyne, Scotland)

Alice Hewson (20, Berkhamsted, England)

Olivia Mehaffey (20, Royal County Down Ladies, Ireland)

Non-travelling reserve:

Annabel Wilson (17, Lurgan, Ireland)

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