Dunne’s Curtis Cup deal

SKERRIES star golfer Maria Dunne has been selected to be part of the Great Britain and Ireland (GB&I) Curtis Cup team that will take on the USA at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club between June 10-12.
The north Dublin golfer was one of two picks to join Elaine Farquharson-Black’s side to face the USA and joins fellow Irishwomen Leona Maguire and Olivia Mehaffey in the team.
Dunne has been a familiar face and a regular point scorer at the Home International matches and European Team championships over the past number of years and is an invaluable asset to the Irish side. She has stepped up her game since her return to golf after injury in 2011 and has never looked back.
2016 has already been a steady year for the Skerries star with a last 16 at the Spanish amateur championship and a third place at the Scottish women’s open stroke play championship two weekends ago, a finish that is thought to have secured her spot on the GB & Ireland team.
Just last weekend Dunne placed herself in ninth position at the Welsh Open after two closing steady rounds. Dunne struggled in the opening round when she carded an 86 but the Skerries star proved her worth having bounced back with a 72 and 74 to finish in the top 10.
Speaking to the Swords Gazette after her call up, Dunne said she her recent good form is down to hard work and that she was overjoyed at the call up.
“I have been playing well lately and it’s down to the hard work of my coach Roger Yates and the dedication, determination and practice I have put in.
“It is my first time being called up to the team and to say I’m over the moon is an understatement. I am really excited, it really is an honour.”
The dedicated Skerries woman has put a lot in to get where she has, and has a schedule that would make any professional weep.
“There are not enough hours in the day at the moment. I go to the gym before work and then I do a shift in the Kinsealy Grange Golf Centre, then practice and finally home to rest. It helps that I work in a golf environment as that helps to keep my game sharp.”
The 32-year-old Dubliner has already received overwhelming support since her call up and she expects a large local support at the tournament in June.
“I have had loads of calls of support since the call up and I expect a lot of people from Skerries and beyond to be there in June with it being a home tournament.”