Ireland’s Beth Coulter birdied the first sudden-death playoff hole to win the Women’s Irish Challenge on her professional debut.
The 22-year-old Co Down golfer pipped South Korea’s Ayeon Yang on home soil on the LET Access Series (LETAS) to highlight her potential after a successful amateur career which saw her make the Curtis Cup twice.
Coulter shot a two-under-par final round of 70 to finish on five under, before hitting a superb second shot on the first playoff hole at the par-5 18th to inside 20 feet. She then two-putted for birdie while Yang made bogey.
“It’s pretty surreal,” Coulter said after becoming the first Irish golfer to win on their professional debut.
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“It probably hasn’t sunk in yet. This was the goal at the start of the week, and to actually do it is pretty crazy. I haven’t won in a while, so it’s kind of nice to get back into the winner’s circle again. To do it on my pro debut is really, really special.”
Coulter had started the day one shot behind overnight leader Michaela Vavrova, who slumped to a six-over 78 to finish tied-16th.
The top seven players on the LETAS Order of Merit at the end of the season secure a full Ladies European Tour card for the following year, while players finishing between eighth and 32nd will be exempt to the final stage of LET Q-School, with Coulter taking a big step in the quest for that card.
The LETAS season resumes next week in Himmerland, Denmark, at the CSK Steel Women’s Open.
