Donegan and Mehaffey excited for inaugural LETAS event at Malahide
Aine Donegan. Picture: LETAS
Aine Donegan will turn professional later this year and the Co Clare talent is hoping to gain invaluable experience in the inaugural Women’s Irish Challenge at Malahide Golf Club.
The action gets underway on Wednesday with Donegan one of 12 amateurs in a 14-strong home challenge for the 54-hole event on the LET’s second-tier tour.
Announced yesterday alongside Beth Coulter and Emma Fleming to play in the World Amateur Team Championship for the Espirito Santo Trophy in Singapore in October, the Lahinch Golf Club star will be making her third appearance as an amateur on the Ladies European Tour Access Series.
“I feel good about the week,” said the world amateur No 57, who got a massive boost earlier this month when Lahinch Golf Club held a fund-raising day to help on her way as she bids for her card at the LET and LPGA Qualifying Schools later this year.
“I had never played Malahide before yesterday, and it’s a nice course, but you’ll need to make good decisions.”
Set to play in next week’s Rose Ladies Open at Hanbury Manor, Donegan (23) will have a comfortable group for the first two days alongside Mexico’s Fernanda Lira and Armagh’s Olivia Mehaffey, who is one of two Irish professionals in a field that also includes rookie Canice Screene.
Mehaffey has only limited status on the LET this year but she’s looking forward to playing alongside Ennis native Donegan.
“I’m really excited for this week,” Mehaffey said. “Anytime you get to play at home is nice, and obviously, the Irish Open has been so successful over the years, so it’s great to have a LETAS event here as well.
“I haven’t played with Aine before, but I have watched her progress over the years. It will be great to have an Irish group, and hopefully, we will have some Irish support out there, too.
“I just love playing in Ireland. People in Ireland love golf. I think we will have quite a lot of people watching this week, which will be nice.”
Mehaffey (27) will have her fiancé, Mikey Boal, on the bag, and she expects to see some familiar faces in the crowd.
“I think some of my family will also be coming out and some of my sponsors as well. I’m staying with my sponsor’s mum and dad, which is nice as they are both members of the club.
“Malahide is great. It’s been so nice to see how much work and prep has been put into the course.
“The greens are so good and it’s a very typical Irish parkland course. It will be a good test for everybody.”
Mehaffey has played between the LET and LETAS this season. Her highest finish has been tied 33rd at Madaef Golfs Ladies Open back in April.
“The season so far has had disappointing results, but I have improved in lots of ways,” she said.
“This is the first year where I’ve balanced between two tours. It’s tough. I want to play so it doesn’t really matter where I’m playing.”
Mehaffey, Donegan and Screene are joined at Malahide by amateurs Fleming, Olivia Hunt, Roisin Scanlon, Jessica Ross, Olivia Costello, Aoife Kelly, Ella Moynihan, Aideen Walsh, Lucy Grattan, Gemma McMeekin and Niamh O’Grady.
