Aideen Walsh dreaming of Lowry moment ahead of Irish Open

Aideen Walsh is in the field for this week's KPMG Women’s Irish Open at Dromoland Castle, and like the other five Irish amateurs competing, she will be dreaming of creating her very own Shane Lowry moment.

Lowry, the reigning world number 20, was catapulted into the golfing world off the back of a remarkable victory at the 2009 Irish Open, winning the prestigious event as an amateur golfer.

A two-year exemption onto the European Tour was perhaps the main prize for the Offaly man, who lost out on the hefty winner’s cheque as a result of his non-professional status.

And while Co Clare native Walsh has no immediate plans to turn to the professional game, she admits that the footage of Lowry holing the winning putt at Baltray will be on her mind heading into the start of the Irish Open, which returns to the Ladies European Tour for the first time in ten years.

Walsh is joined in the field by fellow Irish amateurs, 14-year-old Roscommon native Olivia Costello, Kate Lanigan of the Hermitage Golf Club, Katie Poots who is set to head Stateside to play college golf, Rebekah Gardner from Clandeboye and Barcelona-based Marina Joyce Moreno.

"It is very exciting to play in an Irish Open, a home event," said Walsh, speaking to RTÉ Sport ahead of this week’s tournament.

"The six of us will definitely be thinking of Shane Lowry’s moment when he won; you always dream of those things when you get the opportunity to play in the professional event."

Based in Ennis, when not practising, Walsh teaches English to Ukrainian kids at Scoil Chríost Rí, having relocated from Lucan in Dublin, where she was able to avail of the excellent facilities of Golf Ireland at Carton House.

A member of both Lahinch and Dromoland Castle, Walsh is hoping that home