COULTER WINS PROFESSIONAL DEBUT
Beth Coulter has announced her arrival on the professional circuit with a bang, she birdied the first sudden-death playoff hole to pip South Korea’s Ayeon Yang and win her first professional event the Women’s Irish Challenge on the LET Access Series at Malahide Golf Club.
Coulter fired a final round two-under 70 to finish on five-under, before hitting a superb second shot on the first playoff hole at the par-5 18th to inside 20 feet. She then two-putted for birdie while Yang made bogey. Coulter is the first Irish professional to win on their professional debut.
“It’s pretty surreal,” she said. “It probably hasn’t sunk in yet. This was the goal at the start of the week, and to actually do it is pretty crazy. I haven’t won in a while, so it’s kind of nice to get back into the winner’s circle again. To do it on my pro debut is really, really special.”
With two holes to play, Coulter was trailing Yang by one stroke before sinking a crucial 25-footer birdie putt on the 17th hole at Malahide Golf Club to draw loud cheers from about 50 spectators following her.
“The roar was crazy,” she said. “All the Malahide supporters out here and the golf club members and my family. The roar was really, really cool, and to have that support behind me was really nice and gave me a good egg on coming up the 18th.”
Playing in the final group with Yang, both players walked onto the 18th tee tied at five-under. After Yang missed her birdie putt, Coulter had a putt to win in regulation from inside 10 feet but pulled it left.
“I don’t know how I missed it,” she said. “Just kind of hung out there and didn’t really turn. But I knew I hit a good putt, and coming up the playoff hole, it made it a little easier.
“I played the hole basically the exact same. Just my ball got a little bit further up, and it was nice to have a birdie there and close it out.”
Coulter started the day one shot behind overnight leader Michaela Vavrova, who slumped to a six-over 78 to finish tied-16th.
Photo: LET Access Series.