The pressure of familiar surroundings - Geraldine Ward

Ireland's all-time great Geraldine Ward took on considerable administrative responsibility for the 2026 Irish Open but the 26-time Irish individual champion still managed to find a way on the playing side to get over the line and claim a second Irish Open title.

What was the "I’m delighted to win," said Portmarnock's top player. "I knew Portmarnock was going to play very tough. It depends on the wind here. And with the hot weather., we had to use a significant amount of water to keep the greens alive."

The best of players weren't holding the greens. What was the toughest part over the weekend? "Deciding here to drop the ball. Especially when you knew if you pitched the greens you were gone through the back. You were making shots you wouldn’t normally play"

Was there extra pressure playing at home? "Even before people came here I joined the Organising Committee (the eight of us that gathered together to run this) and they all said it was a foregone conclusion (for Ger to win). It never is. It’s all on the day or on the weekend."

So what was the key? "I had that little extra (knowledge) – 50 years playing here. I joined here as a juvenile. I know every blade of grass but there was something different about it this year. They made it a real links course. They left the outer rough grow. A little bit more thought had to to go into this."

The pin positions were tough? "I was disappointed with the pin positions (on the final day) we discussed the pin we were going back to the traditional 6, 6 and 6. They were not 6, 6 and 6!" laughed Ger, who sponsored a commemorative towel for each of the competitors at Portmarnock.

The course was playing a lot drier than normal? "I’ve never seen so many balls out of bounds on the 9th. You had it land it short. Even the best players were finding it tough to hold it. We’re lucky here – we have the big hoses and sprinklers. To keep the greens alive we need loads and loads of water."

Asked to choose between her international success and her phenomenal domestic record, Ger is unequivocal. "I would have to say that can’t beat an All-Ireland. But to win  a FIPPA Open is special and to win two is extra special. I cherish each and every one of  them."

Ger reserved extra praise for principal rival for the title, Esther de Schiffart. "She had a fantastic 50 in her second round on Saturday. She played very well on a course she didn’t know."