Mary wins Irish Close title

Last year, Dowling lost out in the final to Lisa Maguire but she was not to be denied this time around, winning three of the last four holes to collect what she called the ‘ultimate’title.

“I was very positive [standing over her putt on the last]. I felt like I knew the line and just wanted to stroke it down there,” said the 32-year-old.

“I didn’t have any negative thoughts at all. I didn’t expect to get it but I felt good over it. I could see the line and my dad, who has been caddying for me, thought the exact same thing as me.

“To be honest I wasn’t too nervous or too shaky coming up the last because I was feeling pretty good after coming back from being two down with four to play - I felt very calm.”

The final was a close contest throughout with Dowling making a superb start before being pegged back.

She opened with a birdie three on the 400yd first hole and followed that up with pars on the second, third and fourth to edge two ahead.

She extended that lead to three with a superb two putt on the fifth but then let her young opponent back into the tie, losing the next two holes to par.

The match started to swing Maguire’s way on the 10th when Dowling found a bunker off the tee and took two to get out.

Leona then made superb birdie three at the 11th to edge ahead for the first time in the match. Mary rescued a par on the par five 13th, hitting a superb five wood into the green from 200 yards and two putting for a half.

However, Leona responded by winning the 14th with birdie to go two ahead with just four holes remaining.

At this stage, the Co Cavan schoolgirl looked odds on for victory but she fired a poor approach into the par three 15th, found a greenside bunker, and she failed to get up and down.

Leona found more sand with her approach to the par four 16th and Dowling made the most of the opportunity, sinking a six-footer for birdie to level the match.

The 17th hole was halved in pars and both were just short of the green in two on eighteen. Mary chipped to eight feet while Leona finished 12 feet behind the pin.

Her first putt missed on the high side, running three feet past the hole leaving Mary to hole her left to right putt for the title.