Delaney, Gillen Named to Great Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup Team
6/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
KENT, Ohio The Kent State University womens golf family will be well represented at this years 34th Curtis Cup Match, as Tara Delaney, who just finished her sophomore year at KSU, and former Golden Flash Martina Gillen were named to the team representing Great Britain & Ireland team recently. The match is scheduled for July 29-30 at Brandon Dunes Golf Resort, in Brandon, Ore.
The Curtis Cup Match is a biennial competition contested by women amateur golfers, one team from the United States of America and one team from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Each team consist eight players and a captain.
Delaney led Kent State to an eighth straight Mid-American Conference championship in 2006, earning honorable mention All-America honors in the process. The MAC Golfer of the Year after finishing in first place at the MAC Championship, Delaney set the Kent State single-season record with a 74.34 scoring average for 18 holes.
She posted the second best finish by a Golden Flash at an NCAA Central Regional, tying for fourth place at Traditions Golf Club in Bryan, Texas, with a 6-over 222 (74-77-71). Delaney was Kent States top finisher in 6-of-12 events this year, winning twice. She helped pace Kent State to three team tournament titles in 2005-06, a sixth straight berth in the NCAA regional and KSUs first NCAA Championships appearance since 2003.
Gillen was a two-time All-American while at Kent State, earning honorable mention honors in 2001 and 2002. In those years she also claimed back-to-back MAC Golfer of the Year accolades and won the MAC Championship individual title each year. Gillen won six tournament titles while at Kent State and posted the programs top career scoring average at 75.43 strokes per round.
"It is unbelievable to have two players from same college program on a Curtis Cup team," Kent State head coach Mike Morrow said. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Martina and Tara and Im very proud of both of them and Im proud to have Kent State represented in such a prestigious international event."
Delaney (age 20) is a member of Carlow GC, Ireland, and was the 2004 and 2005 Irish Stroke Play Champion and the 2004 Irish Girls Champion. Gillen (24) is a member of Beaverstown GC, from Ballyjamesduff, Ireland. She was on the Vagliano Trophy team in 2005 and was runner-up at the 2006 Irish Championship, while winning the 2000 Irish Girls championship.
The remaining members of the Great Britain & Ireland team are: Claire Coughlan (26) from Cork GC; Naomi Edwards (22) of Ganton GC; Breanne Loucks (18) from Wrexham GC; Tricia Mangan (32) of Ennis GC; Kiran Matharu (17) of Cookridge Hall GC; and Melissa Reid (18) of Chevin GC. The American squad consists of: Amanda Blumenherst (19) from Scottsdale, Ariz., Virginia Grimes (42) of Meridian, Miss.; Jennie Lee (19) from Henderson, Nev.; Taylor Leon (19) from Dallas, Texas; Paige Mackenzie (23) of Yakima, Wash.; Amanda McCurdy (22) of El Dorado, Ark.; Jane Park (19) from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; and Jenny Suh (20) from Fairfax, Va.
A third member of the Kent State family also will have a brush with this years Curtis Cup. Kira Meixners team in the Vancouver, British Columbia, area will play the Great Britain & Ireland team in a warm up prior to the match in Oregon.
Officially named "The Womens International Cup," the cup for the Curtis Cup Match was officially presented in 1932 by Harriot and Margaret Curtis, sisters who won the U.S. Womens Amateur four times between them. The cup, a silver bowl of Paul Revere design, is inscribed, "To stimulate friendly rivalry among the women golfers of many lands." The cup was first presented in 1927 to give momentum to the competition, but play didnt begin until 1932, largely because of financial reasons.
The first Curtis Cup Match was played in 1932 at Wentworth Golf Club, in England. Marion Hollins captained the American team, while the team representing Great Britain and Ireland was led by playing captain Joyce Wethered. The Americans prevailed, 5˝ to 3˝.
