Hacienda del Alamo Women's Festival latest entry

MARIAN RIORDAN HAS

IMPRESSIVE CV ON AND

OFF THE GOLF COURSE

Marian Riordan decided after winning the Irish women's amateur Order of Merit in 2007 - following runner-up performances in Irish closed match-play championship and the Irish stroke-play championship - to turn professional.

One of her first events in her new rookie status will be the Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Festival at the five-star Murcia, Spain golf resort from February 10 to 23.

Marian, who is 27, is now in her first year of training to become a PGA professional at Greystones Golf Club, County Wicklow, south of Dublin.

Marian, who lives at Lucan, County Dublin, has a great CV as an amateur golfer but she also has an outstanding educational record.

She gained a BA in Business Studies and Recreation Leisure at Waterford Institute of Technology (200-2003) followed by a Higher Diploma (Honours) in Education degree (2003-2004) at University College, Dublin.

Back to golf and she is the women's course record holder at Tipperary, Ballykisteen, Lahinch and Abbeyleix golf clubs.

As a member of Tipperary Golf Club, she won the Cork Scratch Cup and the Lahinch Scratch Cup in 2007. She played for Ireland in the women's home internationals of 2007 at Dunbar and also in the European women's team championship in Italy last year.

On the 2005 Orange Blossom Tour in Florida, Marian and Mary Ann Plunkett won the international foursomes (better-ball) tournament, which starts with stroke-play qualifying and runs into match-play They are pictured above with Marian on the left.

The deadline for entries to the Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Golf Festival is Tuesday, January 15. Entries so far:

Professionals

Lauren DIGGLE (Wales).
Maria MARTIN LOPEZ (Spain).
Danielle MASTERS (England)
Natasha MORGAN (Wales)
Marian RIORDAN (Ireland).

Lien WILLEMS (Belgium).

Amateurs

Orla BARRY (Galway) handicap 5.
Lisa BARTON (Coventry) handicap 2
Jane BINNING (Frilford Heath) handicap 2.

Anna CARLING (Vale of Glamorgan) handicap 4.
Sarah CARTY (The Island, Dublin) handicap 4.
Charlotte DALTON (Ladbrook Park) handicap 3. Age 17.
Cara EASTON (Dalmahoy) handicap 8. Age 15.

Mandy EASTON (Dalmahoy) handicap 5.
Marion GEOGHEGAN (Navan) handicap 13.
Kate EVANS (Frilford Heath) handicap 7.

Rebecca GEE (Wellingborough) handicap 5. Age 16.
Annie GOWING (Frilford Heath) handicap 5.
Gemma JENNINGS (Navan) handicap 12.
Mary McAREE (Navan) handicap 20.
Judy McCAIRNS (Frilford Heath) handicap 9.

Kirsten MacCALLUM (McDonald Ellon) handicap 20. Age 14.
Lauren MacCALLUM (McDonald Ellon) handicap 7. Age 17.

Mary MacLAREN (Wellingborough) handicap 4.

Meghan MacLAREN (Wellingborough) handicap 7. Age 13.
Emma O’DRISCOLL (Ballybunion). Handicap 5. Age 15.

Emily OGILVY (Auchterarder) handicap +1.
Margaret ROONEY (Navan) handicap 20.
Philomena SHEERAN (Navan) handicap 20.

Rhian Wyn THOMAS (Vale of Glamorgan) handicap 1. Age 20.

Michele THOMSON (McDonald Ellon) handicap +1. Age 19.

Jane TURNER (Mortonhall). Handicap 1. Age 18.
Jane WHIRISKEY (Galway). Handicap 13.