Talented sportswoman surprised to claim title

The success of Martinborough golfer Lisa-Marie Ireland at the Wellington district champion of champions stroke play event on Saturday surprised nobody more than Ireland herself.

The 23-year-old concedes she went into the tournament on her home course without any thought of claiming the major spoils and to place first equal with Shandon's Suzanne Jones far exceeded her expectations.

"Honestly I didn't think I had a show. For me, it was more about going along for a hit and seeing what happened," Ireland said. "It was just one of those days when everything went pretty much according to plan ... I guess I was more surprised than anybody."

That the modest Ireland might have been selling her own chances short is, however, made obvious when you consider the remarkable progress she has made in a sport she has been playing less than five years.

It took the talented sportswoman no more than two years to lower her handicap to single figures and she now plays off 5.9. She has won the Martinborough silver division title three times.

The champion of champions saw 18 holes played in the morning with another 18 in the afternoon and Ireland was always on the pace. Her 79 morning round was good enough to have her sharing the lead with two others who blew out in the second round. There, Ireland returned a 77 and only Jones, who followed an 81 with a 75, was able to match her performance.

Ireland is the first Martinborough club member to win this tourney in its 56-year history and she couldn't recall playing 36 holes over one day where her short game was so solid.

"I usually have a few problems with the chipping and putting but that was probably the best part of my game on Saturday, especially the putting. I managed to sink a few long ones."

Ireland has played representative golf for Wellington but chose not to trial for them this year because of other commitments. However, her latest success has her thinking that she should put golf at the head of her priority list, with a return to the Wellington side foremost among her objectives.

That will be easier said than done though judging by the impact she has made in other codes.

In rugby, she has played for the Eketahuna team which hit the headlines last season by winning the two trophies up for grabs in the Wellington premier division series. In hockey, she has played at the top inter-club levels for Dalefield and this winter, she turned her attention to netball, playing for the Martinborough B side.