Spending a week back in the Isle of Man with family and friends appears to have been the ideal preparation for Peel golf star Ana Dawson as she continued her progress up the world rankings with a career-best performance in Ireland last week.

It was another great few days for the Isle of Man player, as she maintained the momentum she had built over the summer with a 16th place finish in the KPMG Women’s Irish Open.

Conditions in County Kildare were variable to say the least, with thunderstorm interruptions, some driving rain and even the odd outbreak of sunshine, but all combining to make the former Isle of Man women's champion feel very much at home.

The 25-year-old carded three out of four rounds in the 60s, including two very impressive 67s, on her way to an excellent 11 under par total.

For the second time during the month of August, she was helped by having her sister Lea with her, providing some sound advice and calming words, as they negotiated the wind and rain and the tricky challenge of the K Club’s demanding layout.

Lea, a top golfer in her own right and, like Ana, a product of both Peel Golf Club and the US college system, just had one final task to finish before joining Ana last week, as the latter explains:

'I’d been pestering her to finish her dissertation so that she could come out here this week! She played golf with me in Memphis so she knows what she’s doing.'

Ana faced another strong field. As well as eventual winner and order of merit leader Cassandra Alexander, Irish star Leona Maguire was also a rare visitor back to Europe, taking the opportunity to compete in her home open in advance of the Solheim Cup, which takes place in just under two weeks’ time in the Netherlands.

Representing Europe in this bi-annual event against the US is something Ana has long identified as one of her main career goals.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Ana’s challenge last week was the way she once again finished strongly on the final day.

Following a shaky start, she regrouped in some style to play the final 10 holes in five under par and pull herself up from the middle of the field to record her highest Ladies European Tour finish to date.

Crucially, the resulting ranking points have helped her climb the order of merit list again, as she closes in on the top 70 position she needs to automatically retain her full playing rights for the Tour next year.

If she continues her form of the last few weeks, this is comfortably within her grasp.

GRAEME GAULT

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