Laytown and Bettystown’s Carol Wickham completed a memorable double at Naas when she came from five shots behind Deirdre Smith to win the Irish Senior Women’s Amateur Open.

Having won the Irish Senior Women’s Close Championship at Westport in early July, she looked unlikely to trouble near neighbour Smith from County Louth, who led her by five shots with a round to go.

But nothing is ever certain in golf, and Wickham made her fourth birdie of the day at the last to card a three-over 75 to win by two strokes on 12 over par in demanding conditions.

“I’m shocked, surprised and thrilled”, Wickham revealed after the win. “My focus was never on winning the double. It was about competing well, and I was able to do that.”

Smith extended her lead to six shots after the first hole, but it would be her only birdie of the day in a round of 82 as she finished in a tie for second with Grange’s Sheena McElroy, who carded a 76.

Wickham, pictured right, added: “The competition and conditions were tough, especially with the wind. I won’t be able to top this year. I didn’t dream I could ever win the Close and the Open in the same year.”