Swede Emma scores first
win on Ladies Euro Tour

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
By BETHAN CUTLER
Sweden’s Emma Zackrisson secured her first win on the Ladies European Tour today in her first LET event of the year at the Open de Espana Femenino in Castellon.
Zackrisson, who led after the second and third rounds, posted a final round of 71 to finish on a four-round total of seven-under-par 281.
After three days of strong winds at Panoramica Golf and Country Club, the 29-year-old Swede began the day with a four-stroke cushion and finished four ahead of three players. The defending champion Nikki Garrett (69) and Joanne Mills (71) from Australia tied for second with Italian Diana Luna (69), on three-under-par 285.
Zackrisson’s victory was unexpected as she had never previously led an LET event but she played like an unfazed veteran in the final round, through rain, sunshine and weather delays. After a heavy downpour in the morning, the sun shone on the Swede for the first nine holes as she posted nine steady pars. She remained on six-under-par with a two-stroke lead over Mills when play was suspended for an hour and 19 minutes due to inclement weather at 1.56pm.
After thunder, lightning and more heavy downpours, affording her a half-time lunch break, Zackrisson approached the back nine.
A bogey at the par-4 13thwas her only mistake all day, but she compensated with a sensational birdie at the par-4 15th, where she holed a 12 metres putt from off the front of the green.
After a heart-stopping moment at the 17th, when her approach shot to the green almost found the water hazard, Zackrisson signed off with a final hole birdie to take the €41,250 first prize.
“This win means everything to me,” said Zackrisson, who returned to LET Qualifying School in October after five years on Tour. “I was thinking about quitting after this year because I’ve been having a really hard time out there for the last three years. This has changed that I think!” Zackrisson finished last year ranked 101st on the New Star Money List and after only one event played in 2008, she is now ranked second in Europe.
“I did not expect this coming in. This was so unexpected and I’m so, so happy,” she said. “I played so well and it felt so easy for me, really. Everything just worked. I’d been struggling for so long and finally it all came together. It’s unbelievable.
“I couldn’t relax until after the tee shot on 18. That’s when I finally thought maybe I could make this. You never know what is going to happen.”
Colin Farquharson writes: Clare Queen's late bogeys at the 16th and 17th in a final round of 74 for 293 cost her the best part of 1,000 Euros. She finished in joint 30th place instead of the joint 18th place a couple of pars at the holes in question would have given her.
Earlier Miss Queen (The Carrick at Cameron House) had birdied the ninth, 11th, 13th and 15th. She earned 2,763 Euros.
Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) also bogeyed the 16th and 17th but birdied the 18th for a closing 72 - her best round of the four - to finished joint 38th on 2985 and earn 1,932 Euros.
Inverness-based New Zealander Liz McKinnon found her form too late, scoring a one-under-par 71 in the final round. Had Liz scored 71 in each of the four rounds she would have finished second instead of her actual joint 55th on 299.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
281 Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 72 67 71 71 (Euros 41,250).
285 Nikki Garrett (Aus) 75 70 71 69, Diana Luna (Ita) 75 72 69 69, Joan Mills (Aus) 74 73 67 71 (Euros 20,670 each).
286 Veronica Zorzi Ita) 72 68 74 72 (Euros 11,660).
287 Katharina Schallenberg (Ger) 71 74 73 69, Martina Eerl (Ger) 70 77 70 70, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 68 73 75 71, Lill Kristin Saether (Nor) 75 72 67 73 (Euros 7,727 each).
Other scores:
291 Georgina Simpson (Eng) 76 71 73 71, Lora Faitclough Eng) 74 68 77 72, Samantha Head (Eng) 71 71 76 73 (Euros 3,427 each) (jt 18th)
292 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 74 75 68 75 (Euros 2,970) (jt 26th).
293 Clare Queen (The Carrick at Cameron House) 74 72 73 74 (Euros 2,763) (jt 30th).
294 Danielle Masters (Eng) 75 74 72 73, Natalie Claire Booth (Eng0 73 73 74 74 (Euros 2,475) (jt 32nd).
295 Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) 76 74 73 72, Fame More (Eng) 79 69 74 73 (Euros 1,932 each) (jt 38th).
296 Kirsty Taylor (Eng) 74 76 74 72 (Euros 1,485) (jt 46th).
297 Trish Johnson (Eng) 70 77 75 75 (Euros 1,292) (jt 51st).
298 Rebecca Coakley (Ire)( 74 75 76 73 (Euros 1,182) (jt 55th).
299 Liz McKinnon (NZ) 74 74 80 71 (jt 55th).
Retired - Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal) 73 76 75 -.