Westport win has pride of place

It was 1989 and I was at college in San Diego on a golf scholarship. All I knew about Paul at the time was that he was playing for the men's team at the University. The start of our relationship was still some time off.

I was making my first visit to Ireland having been picked on the England team for the Home Internationals at Westport. And I didn't have the vaguest idea where that was. In fact, I had no knowledge of Ireland or its golf courses, other than the standard things about the country being very green and that it rained a lot.

And as far as our matches were concerned, I was simply told it would mean a flight to Dublin and another one from Dublin to Knock. But when we got there, the people were fantastic and they gave us a terrific welcome.

My memories of Westport are of the very good local caddie I had and of a strong, demanding course which was playing very long after recent rain. And I remember it had very good finishing holes though, thankfully, I didn't have to go the full distance in what was to become the key match as far as I was concerned.

That was on the second day. We had beaten Wales in the opening series and we were now facing Ireland. The day started well for me when I partnered Lora Fairclough to a 5 and 4 win in the foursomes against Anne Ferguson and Dympna Keenan. And I was picked at number three in the afternoon singles against Deirdre Mahon, a local girl who was new to the Irish team.

I later found her to be a lovely, lovely girl but at that time she was an opponent I was determined to beat, at all costs. Being from the west, from the Roscommon club, she had a huge following which, if I allowed it, could have totally undermined me.

I was also aware that she was young and that it was her first international experience, just like it was for me. As it happened, I turned the situation to my advantage. It made me tougher, more determined. That's the game, isn't it?

As usual in these circumstances, there was no shortage of news from around the course, as to how the various matches were progressing. Gradually, it became clear that my match with Deirdre would be decisive. And I won by 4 and 2.

I'm rather proud of the fact that a picture of me in the victorious England team, still hangs in the clubhouse in Westport. Jill Thornhill was a smashing captain and we had some really fine players, including Helen Dobson and Julie Hall, who is now with the LGU.

Names that spring to mind from the Irish team were Mary McKenna, Claire Hourihane and Eileen Rose (Power) and, of course, Deirdre.

Five years later, when I suppose you could say that the relationship between Paul and me had become serious, we moved to a flat in Milltown. We were there only a few days when there was a knock on the door. Who was it only Deirdre Mahon: she lived in a flat upstairs.

I could hardly believe it. In fact, we were both thrilled to meet up with each other again in decidedly non-competitive circumstances. Occasionally in golf you meet somebody you would like to renew acquaintances with some time in the future and that was the way I thought of Deirdre.

Treating each other a bit like long lost friends, we arranged a golf date in Milltown, where Deirdre was then playing. And this time there was no rivalry. We simply knocked the ball about and enjoyed ourselves. And we ended up in Johnny Fox's afterwards. It was a lovely day.

She later moved to Germany with her husband, an accountant, who was based out there. But we've kept in touch through correspondence.

I've been fortunate in having some wonderful experiences in golf, including a career on the professional circuit and watching Paul and Padraig (Harrington) winning the World Cup last November. But on a personal level, nothing really compares with that match against Deirdre, nine years ago.