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The 2009 European Solheim Cup Captain, Alison Nicholas, presented the seven new Great Britain & Ireland players, in the team of nine selected for the Vagliano Trophy, with their international caps in a special ceremony at Portmarnock Links, ahead of the AIB Ladies Irish Open.
All nine members of the team, who are due to play against the Continent of Europe at Hamburg Golf Club, Germany, on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th July, attended the presentation.
They were then treated to a team talk by Nicholas, who was invited by the GB&I Captain, Mary McKenna, with manager Tegwen Matthews and an LGU representative, Fraser Munro, by her side.
On Thursday, the team will play a practise round at Killeen Castle, venue for The 2011 Solheim Cup, following a round at Portmarnock Links on Wednesday. They will tee up in the AIB Ladies Irish Open, supported by Fáilte Ireland, on Friday.
McKenna said: ” We enjoyed a nice, easy, relaxed practise round at Portmarnock and it’s a fabulous golf course. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the girls to play in this event and we appreciate the invitations. It’s a great experience for them to test themselves against the best. ”
The GB&I Vagliano team is:
- JODI EWART (Catterick), Age 21
- RACHEL JENNINGS (Izaak Walton)Age 20
- LEONA MAGUIRE (Slieve Russell), Age 14
- LISA MAGUIRE (Slieve Russell), Age 14
- DANIELLE McVEIGH (Royal Co Down Ladies), Age 21
- PAMELA PRETSWELL (Bothwell Castle), Age 20
- RHIAN WYN THOMAS (Vale of Glamorgan), Age 22
- KYLIE WALKER (Buchanan Castle), Age 22
- SALLY WATSON (Elie & Earlsferry), Age 17
Making history as the youngest ever to be selected to play for the combined Great Britain & Ireland team are the 14-year-old twins from County Cavan in Ireland, Lisa and Leona Maguire.
Leona will play with England’s Laura Davies and France’s Jade Schaeffer in the first two rounds of the tournament, while Lisa will play with Swede Maria Hjorth and Frenchwoman Anne-Lise Caudal.
