In-form Fleming eyes AIG Irish Close glory

Emma Fleming (Elm Park) is set to tee it up at the AIG Irish Women’s & Girls’ Amateur Close Championship at Ardee Golf Club this week Photo: Golffile | Thos Caffrey

Emma Fleming is hoping the rich vein of form she has developed abroad this season will fuel a title run on home soil, as the Elm Park golfer prepares to tee it up at the AIG Irish Women’s & Girls’ Amateur Close Championship at Ardee Golf Club this week.

One of the marquee weeks in Irish amateur golf, both championships begin on Tuesday morning with 85 of the island’s top players set to battle it out across four days of competition on the County Louth parkland course.

Having spent much of her 2025 season in Australia on an Erasmus programme, Fleming has sharpened her game overseas and reaped the rewards of the new challenge.

The UCD student returned home with a runner-up finish at the Rene Reichsen Salver and a victory at the Victorian Amateur Championship, a prestigious match play event that could serve as ideal preparation for the week ahead.

“I loved playing over there,” said Fleming.

“It taught me a lot because the courses are set up very differently. It really made me put a huge emphasis on putting and they’re designed to score low. When I came back, I was more used to going lower than normal, so I really enjoyed my time over there.”

“I've never won that long of an event before, so I feel definitely added confidence just knowing that you can go that far.”

That confidence was further bolstered at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open, where Fleming impressed by making the cut at Carton House, finishing as the top Irish amateur in the field.

“I was very happy to make the cut,” said Fleming.

“That event was really fun. It's fun to play with pros, especially Anna Nordqvist so it was a bit of a surreal experience.”

Now, Fleming returns to domestic action looking to carry that momentum into a championship that has helped launch the careers of many of Ireland’s female professionals.

Six of the last eight winners, Olivia Mehaffey (2016), Sara Byrne (2018 & 2023), Annabel Wilson (2019), Anna Foster (2021) and Canice Screene (2024), have since joined the professional ranks and while adding her name to that list would be a special moment, Fleming is keeping both her short-term focus and long-term outlook grounded.

“It’s definitely the most historic event in Ireland so it would mean a lot, but I’ll try and just play well,” said Fleming.

“I think I’ll definitely finish my degree. I'm probably leaning towards the academic route now. My family are very academically based, and I want to definitely have at least a backup.”

Fleming tees off at 8.55am on Tuesday, where she will be joined by Libby Fleming (El Camino Country Club) and fellow Irish international Anna Dawson (Tramore) in one of the standout groups of the morning.

The format will see players contest 36 holes of stroke play qualifying on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the top 16 in both the Women’s and Girls’ championships advancing to the match play stages on Thursday and Friday.

The 2025 AIG Irish Women’s & Girls’ Amateur Close Championship gets underway at 8.11am on Tuesday, with Qingyun (Elsa) Chen (Grange), Catharine Humphreys (Ballinrobe) and local Ardee member Emily McShane leading out the field.

View tee times and live scoring here.