Mangan's patience rewarded

After many years of heartbreak and near misses Tricia Mangan from Ennis finally got her name on the "Blue Riband" of Irish women's golf when she beat Catherine Tucker 3 and 2 in the final of the Lancome Irish Women's Close Championship at Portalon Golf Club yesterday.

However, Mangan, a member of the Vagliano Trophy team to face Europe at Chantilly next month, was made to fight all the way by the 19-year-old rookie from Limerick.

Tucker struck early with a winning par at the first but by the eighth hole was two down after Mangan rattled off three pars from the sixth.

Tucker reduced the deficit to one at the turn when she holed out with an eight-iron approach to the ninth for an eagle two.

After exchanging the 11th and 12th holes, Tucker found a bunker off the tee at the 15th to fall two behind again. And the title was heading for Ennis on the next hole when Mangan holed from eight feet for a winning birdie and the title.

In the semi-final Tucker added to the week of surprises when beating Karen Delaney 5 and 4 with the help of four birdies in a row from the 11th while Mangan eased past her Munster team-mate Marian Riordan (Tipperary) by one hole.

Mangan's reward for her victory is a place on the Irish team for the European Team Championships at Karkstad, Sweden, from July 5th to 9th, while Tucker has been named as first reserve.

Mangan will be joined in Sweden by Martina Gillen, Tara Delaney, Heather Nolan, Deirdre Smith and British Amateur finalist Claire Coughlan.

IRISH WOMEN'S CLOSE (at Portsalon GC) - Semi-finals: C Tucker (Limerick) bt K Delaney (Carlow) 5 and 4; T Mangan (Ennis) bt M Riordan (Tipperary) 1 up. Final: T Mangan (Ennis) bt C Tucker (Limerick) 3 and 2.

IRELAND WOMEN (for the European Team Championships in Karlstad, Sweden, July 5th-9th): Claire Coughlan (Cork), Tara Delaney (Carlow), Martina Gillen (Beaverstown), Tricia Mangan (Ennis), Heather Nolan (Shannon), Deirdre Smith (Co Louth). Reserves: Catherine Tucker (Limerick), Maria Dunne (Skerries), Maura Morrin (Curragh).

IRELAND GIRLS UNDER-18 (for the European Team Championships, in Lucerne, Switzerland, July 5th-9th): Fiona Carroll (Athenry), Sarah Faller (Galway), Emma Gilmore (Mountbellew), Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies). Reserves: Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor), Linda Toomey (Limerick).

Annika Sorenstam has hardly had time to draw breath since winning the LPGA Championship but says she is ready for the third leg of the grand slam at the US Women's Open this week.

The phenomenal Swede, who has won the first two majors of the season in style, took her record third successive LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock in Maryland 10 days ago by a comfortable three-shot margin.

When play starts at Cherry Hills Country Club today, the 34-year-old will be going for a 10th major and a third US Open, having won back-to-back titles in 1995 and 1996.

Sorenstam hopes to clutch the trophy on Sunday and then stage a perfect finale at the Women's British Open at Royal Birkdale from July 28th to 31st.