Royal ruler O’Riordan goes one better at Three Rivers

Abigail O’Riordan made up for her near miss in the first OCEANTEE WPGA Series event by winning the second on the Kings Course at Three Rivers Golf and Country Club.

O Riordan, a Year Two PGA Trainee attached to Royal Norwich Golf Club, was pipped at the post in the first event at Redditch when 1997 US Women’s Open champion Alison Nicholas produced a shot redolent of her glory days to birdie the final hole.

That consigned the 21-year-old to second place, a shot adrift of the two-time Solheim Cup captain.

There was no denying her this time in the Essex sunshine on a course in immaculate condition, however, as a level par round of 74 left her a shot clear of the 33-strong field.

It also earned her the £700 winner’s cheque and a healthy lead in the OCEANTEE WPGA Series Order of Merit.

As things stand, she is 7.5 points clear of Nicholas and Ali Gray, who finished tied second with her 2019 Women’s PGA Cup team-mate Suzanne Dickens and the somewhat less experienced Rebecca McGeehan.

McGeehan, who represents Open Championship venue Royal Liverpool Golf Club, is also a PGA Trainee and she was left to reflect on what might have been.

Having birdied the 17^th to draw level with O’Riordan on level par, her hopes of sharing the spoils were ruined when she dunked her approach into the pond flanking the 18^th green.

O’Riordan by contrast was left to reflect on successive birdies on the back nine that atoned for an outward half that saw her two-over at the turn.

“I made a good start with a birdie at four but followed up with a double bogey at the par-five fifth and dropped another shot at the seventh,” she said.

“But I knew there would be some birdie opportunities on the back nine and played steady golf before getting them at the 16^th and 17^th.

“It was disappointing to miss out at Redditch but this makes up for it.”

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