McGimpsey completes treble

SENIORS:Garth McGimpsey completed a hat-trick of Ulster Seniors Amateur Championship victories. at Kirkistown Castle yesterday, as he pulled away from the field to land the title for a third consecutive season.

After being joint leader with John McMeekin overnight on two-over-par 71, McGimpsey fired a regulation 69 yesterday to open a six-shot gap at the top of the leaderboard.

Former Irish champion Michael Coote, from Tralee, and Birr’s Billy Donlon finished joint second while Hugh Smyth, an ex-Ulster and Irish winner, was a further shot back in fourth place.

Antrim member McMeekin shot a 77 yesterday e and his total of 148 left him in joint fifth place.

WOMEN:Paula Grant secured a healthy top 10 finish and was the leading Irish competitor in the British Women's Amateur Open Strokeplay Championship at Shandon Park in Belfast yesterday.

The Lisburn golfer ended with a 72-hole aggregate of 301 – 13 over par – consisting of rounds of 76, 73, 75 and 77. That gave her a share of eighth place, seven strokes behind surprise winner Sarah-Jane Boyd, the four-times Cornwall champion.

Welsh champion Amy Boulden took over at the top of the leaderboard at lunchtime and was two strokes clear of Boyd with nine holes remaining but had a disastrous last nine with a bogey, double bogey and triple bogey which allowed the West Country player to triumph by two strokes.

Cork’s Gillian O’Leary ended with an 84 and both Mary Dowling and Deirdre Smith were well down the field.

BOYS INTERPROVINCIALS: Young Mark Rea won't forget the last few holes of his decisive match for Ulster in this year's Under-15 Interprovincials at City of Derry for a long time.

Three holes down to Leinster’s Conor Purcell after 14 holes, Rea won the last four holes of his match (birdie, birdie, par, birdie) to give Ulster their first win in this series. Munster almost spoiled Ulster’s party by beating Connacht in the other encounter of the day, but their final total of 7½ matches won against that of Leinster (8) and Ulster (9).