Beth Coulter: 'I'd love to emulate Leona one day' says Northern Ireland teenager after Curtis Cup squad selection

Irish women's golf has been riding something of a crest of a wave in recent years with a production line of exciting young talent.

Leona and Lisa Maguire, Stephanie Meadow, Olivia Mehaffey and Annabel Wilson have all blazed a trail on the global stage.

In particular, Leona Maguire's heroics in Europe's Solheim Cup success and maiden LPGA Tour win at last month's Drive On Championship in Florida have given special inspiration to a generation of women aspiring to emulate her success.

Among those is 18-year-old Beth Coulter, whose rapid progress in her fledgling career has culminated in her selection for the Great Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup squad for this year's contest with the United States in June at Merion.

The 12-player squad will be trimmed down to eight as GB&I set out to avenge their 12.5 to 7.5 defeat in the delayed 2021 edition of the event.

«Having Leona as that inspiration, she has shown that it's possible for an Irish person to win on the LPGA Tour, that's something I'd love to do one day, even just get on the tour,» said the teenager from Kirkistown Golf Club.

«Being selected for the Curtis Cup squad is one of the biggest things you can achieve in amateur golf so I'll be working really hard to try to get on the team now.

»It's an honour to be selected in the squad but I'd love to be in the team. This is a big year and that would be the icing on the cake."

Coulter is the youngest member of the provisional squad and her selection comes on the back of an impressive 2021 where she finished as runner-up in the R&A Girls' Amateur Championship, being edged out by Scotland's Hannah Darling in an exciting final.

The County Down woman also retained her Irish Girls' Close Championship in Tramore last year and will begin a