Ann Irvin
{{short description|English amateur golfer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name = Ann Irvin
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| fullname = Ann Leslie Irvin
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1943|4|11|df=y}}
| birth_place = Lancashire, England
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| nationality = {{ENG}}
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| status = Amateur
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Ann Leslie Irvin {{post-nominals|GBR|MBE}} (born 11 April 1943){{cite web |url=http://www.womengolfersmuseum.com/Famousgolfers/I.htm |publisher=Women Golfers' Museum |title=Irvin, Miss Ann Lesley |access-date=17 March 2022}} is an English amateur golfer. She won the British Ladies Amateur in 1973 and the English Women's Amateur Championship in 1967 and 1974. She was in four Curtis Cup teams, in 1962, 1968, 1970 and 1976.
Amateur career
Irvin reached the final of the Girls Amateur Championship in 1960 and was a losing semi-finalist in 1961.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2nZAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6176%2C397351 |title=Miss Clarke British girls' champion |first=Cyril |last=Horne |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=3 September 1960 |page=5}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VIVAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3120%2C236875 |title=Girls' title victory for Miss D. Robb |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=2 September 1961 |page=5}} In those two years she also played in the England–Scotland girls match.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f4RAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1771%2C8550806 |title=Girls' international ends in draw |first=Cyril |last=Horne |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=31 August 1960 |page=11}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VzM1AAAAIBAJ&pg=1912%2C8185944 |title=Miss Robb outstanding in English girls' defeat of Scotland |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=30 August 1961 |page=10}} Late in 1961 she made her first senior team appearance, playing against the Continent of Europe in Italy in the Vagliano Trophy.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fIVAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vKMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2013%2C7799768 |title=British Women's Victory |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=19 October 1961 |page=12}}
Early in 1962 she was runner-up, playing with Jill Thornhill, in the Kayser Bondor Foursomes.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Z3xAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1982%2C3586789 |title=Foursomes win for Mrs Anderson |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=23 March 1962 |page=15}} She was also runner-up in the Astor Prince's Trophy in July.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106597960/the-daily-telegraph/ |title=Mrs. Bonallack races away |first=Enid |last=Wilson |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=16 July 1962 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1962 she was selected for the England team in the Women's Home Internationals, although the team lost to Scotland and finished runners-up.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WH1AAAAAIBAJ&pg=6276%2C9228848 |title=Scotland defeat the Curtis Cup team |first=Cyril |last=Horne |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=9 |date=28 June 1962}} Later in the year she played in the Curtis Cup match in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Irvin played in the foursomes but was not selected for the singles. The team lost by 8 matches to 1.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8JtAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2958%2C6249792 |title=United States' clean sweep in foursomes |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=5 |date=18 August 1962}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8ZtAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2869%2C6377409 |title=United States retain Curtis Cup |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=20 August 1962}} In 1963 she won the French International Lady Juniors Amateur Championship, an under-21 event, and reached the final again in 1964.{{cite web |title=Past Winners |url=https://www.ffgolf.org/content/download/33603/file/esmond-palmares.pdf |publisher=Fédération française de golf |access-date=16 August 2021}} She also won the 1963 Scottish Girls' Open Stroke-play Championship at Dumfries & County, seven strokes ahead of the runner-up. Liz Chadwick.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TVxAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5844%2C2906306 |title=Big victory for Miss Irvin |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=22 August 1963 |page=9}}
In 1965 Irvin was runner-up, playing with Claudine Cros, in the Casa Pupo Foursomes, although 21 strokes behind the winners.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IWNAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3883%2C3266316 |title=Anglo-French pair win Casa Pupo by 21 strokes |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=19 March 1965 |page=8}} In 1966 she tied with Ruth Porter in the Hovis International, after the final round was abandoned.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0X9AAAAAIBAJ&pg=6442%2C2873963 |title=Hovis title shared |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=17 June 1966 |page=6}}
In 1967 Irvin won the English Women's Amateur Championship, beating Margaret Pickard in the final.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9WNAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1462%2C5444923 |title=Miss Irvin wins English title |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=27 May 1967}} In 1968 she won the Avia Foursomes, playing with Ruth Porter, and she also won the Hovis International, this time by 16 strokes from the runners-up.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=un5AAAAAIBAJ&pg=5069%2C3846557 |title=Small players' success |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=22 March 1968 |page=6}} Irvin made her second appearance in the Curtis Cup in 1968, winning three of her four matches and halving the other. The team led after the first day but the United States had the better of the second day and won by 3 points.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FN89AAAAIBAJ&pg=2128%2C2628303 |title=British women recover for lead in Curtis Cup |first=Raymond |last=Jacobs |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=15 June 1968 |page=4}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Fd89AAAAIBAJ&pg=1788%2C2801932 |title=U.S. retain Curtis Cup as British Isles falter |first=Raymond |last=Jacobs |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=17 June 1968 |page=4}}
Irvin reached the final of the British Ladies Amateur in 1969 but lost by one hole to Catherine Lacoste in the 36-hole final.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=C5tAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2101%2C4216300 |title=Lucky bounce decisive |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=23 June 1969 |page=4}} Later in the year she won the inaugural Ladies' British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship, 9 strokes ahead of runner-up Dinah Oxley.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iJRAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3454%2C1144081 |title=Nine-stroke win for Miss Irvin |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=6 September 1969 |page=4}} In 1970 she again won the Hovis International, 5 strokes ahead of Angela Bonallack.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=U5JAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2805%2C1065870 |title=Miss Irvin holds off challenge |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=5 June 1970 |page=6}} In the Curtis Cup in Massachusetts, Irvin lost all her four matches, the United States winning the match by 5 points.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iZFAAAAAIBAJ&pg=4459%2C1273298 |title=U.S. women take lead |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=8 August 1970 |page=4}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ipFAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1612%2C1466536 |title=United States wins Curtis Cup |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=10 August 1970 |page=5}}
Irvin won the British Ladies Amateur in 1973, beating Mickey Walker in the final.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=x5VAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2534%2C4464682 |title=Ann Irvin's double |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=25 June 1973 |page=5}} She reached the semi-finals the following year, losing narrowly to Angela Bonallack.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9JFAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5567%2C3450301 |title=Maureen goes out after brave fight |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=15 June 1974 |page=5}} Earlier in 1974 she had won the English Women's Amateur Championship for the second time, beating Jill Thornhill in the final.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4I5AAAAAIBAJ&pg=1711%2C6181344 |title=Ann Irvin's rare double |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=25 May 1974 |page=4}} She was selected for the Curtis Cup team but withdrew after injuring her back.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xJFAAAAAIBAJ&pg=4479%2C3691976 |title=Ann Irvin out of cup team |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=18 June 1974 |page=6}} Irvin made her final Curtis Cup appearance in 1976. She won her opening foursomes match but lost in the singles and in the second-day foursomes.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PpVAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2576%2C2703364 |title=British offers little resistance |first=Raymond |last=Jacobs |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=12 June 1968 |page=16}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=P5VAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2569%2C2913088 |title=Up-to-date form should decide |first=Raymond |last=Jacobs |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=14 June 1968 |page=16}}
Irvin gave up top-level golf in 1977 because of back problems.{{cite web |url=http://www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk/2009/09/lancashires-ann-irvin-to-be-next-ewga.htm |title=Lancashire’s Ann Irvin to be next EWGA President |work=KirkwoodGolf |date=28 September 2009 |access-date=17 March 2022}}
Personal life, awards
Irvin was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours.{{London Gazette |issue=59808 |date=11 June 2011 |page=18 |supp=y}}
Amateur wins
- 1963 French International Lady Juniors Amateur Championship, Scottish Girls' Open Stroke-play Championship
- 1966 Hovis International (tied with Ruth Porter)
- 1967 English Women's Amateur Championship
- 1968 Avia Foursomes (with Ruth Porter), Hovis International
- 1969 Ladies' British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship
- 1970 Hovis International
- 1973 British Ladies Amateur
- 1974 English Women's Amateur Championship
Team appearances
- Curtis Cup (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1962, 1968, 1970, 1976
- Vagliano Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1961 (winners), 1963 (winners), 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971 (winners), 1973 (winners), 1975 (winners)
- Commonwealth Trophy (representing Great Britain): 1967 (winners), 1975 (winners)
- Women's International Series (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1973
- European Ladies' Team Championship (representing England): 1965 (winners), 1967 (winners), 1969, 1971 (winners), 1973 (winners), 1975
- Women's Home Internationals (representing England): 1962, 1963 (winners), 1965 (winners), 1967 (joint winners), 1968 (winners), 1969, 1970 (winners), 1971 (winners), 1972 (winners), 1973 (winners)
- England–Scotland girls match (representing England): 1960 (tie), 1961 (winners)