And the winner at Archerfield Links is ... France's Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (image by Andy Forman).

Vikki Laing joint fifth behind victorious Virginie

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Virginie Lagoutte-Clement from France shot a final round of 71 in difficult conditions to earn her third Ladies European Tour title at the Aberdeen Ladies Scottish Open.
The 31-year-old from Montelimar came from four shots behind the overnight leader Jeehae Lee to clinch the title by a stroke from South African Lee-Anne Pace and Englishwomen Trish Johnson and Sophie Walker at Archerfield Links in East Lothian.
Lagoutte-Clement, who won her last title at the 2006 Finnair Masters in Finland, felt that she was out of the title race after she came home with three bogeys in a row from the 14th. However the other competitors also suffered coming down the stretch in the windy and squally conditions.
Ireland’s Rebecca Coakley held a two stroke lead on three-under par after 14 holes but took an eight on the par-four 15th, doubled the 16th and bogeyed the 17th, dropping seven shots in three holes.
Johnson needed to birdie the par-five last for her 20th career win, but missed a 15 ft putt for par to force the play-off and took a six to drop one behind the leader.
Lagoutte-Clement’s solid play over the front nine, which she played in three-under 33, paid off as she lifted the trophy and claimed the first prize of €30,000.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. I’m so happy I don’t have the words to explain,” said Lagoutte-Clement, who was joined by her husband Sebastien, who is her caddie and her two-year-old daughter Victoria. “Normally I play badly on links. I’m happy to have battled my demons with the links.”
She had struggled with her short game, missing the cut at the previous four tournaments, after finishing as the runner-up to Johnson in Tenerife.
She was the second straight French winner of the Scottish title, following victory by Gwladys Nocera at The Carrick in 2008.
Vikki Laing, from nearby Musselburgh, shared fifth with Italian Stefania Croce and Jeehae Lee of Korea.
Coakley ended tied for eighth with Stacy Lee Bregman on four over after a round of 75 and said: “Obviously I’m disappointed but more with my luck.”
In the Pro Am format, Archerfield Links member Richard Slater and Caroline Afonso combined for a winning total of 19-under par. Samantha Donald and Jessica Ji finished second on count back, while Johnson and Alan Hansen were third.
The Ladies European Tour continues to Finland next week, where Lagoutte-Clement is likely to be a strong contender, having won the title on the same golf course in Helsinki four years ago.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72) Prize money in Euros
217 Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (France) 72 74 71 (30,000).
218 Lee-Anne Pace (S Africa) 76 72 70, Sophie Walker (England) 75 70 73, Trish Johnson (England) 69 74 75 (15,033.33 each).
219 Vikki Laing (Scotland) 74 74 71, Stefania Croce (Italy) 71 74 74, Jeehae Lee (S Korea) 72 70 77 (7,160 each).
220 Stacy Lee Bregman (S Africa) 70 76 74, Rebecca Coakley (Ireland) 75 70 75 (4,740 each).
221 Becky Brewerton (Wales) 74 73 74, Nikki Garrett (Australia) 71 74 76 (3,840 each).
222 Cassandra Kirkland (France) 77 70 75, Christel Boeljon (Netherlands) 70 75 77 (3,330 each).
223 Anne-Lise Caudal (France) 75 75 73, Ashleigh Simon (S Africa) 77 75 71, Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 73 76 74, Hannah Jun (US) 76 71 76 (2,935 each).
224 Caroline Masson (Germany) 74 73 77, Georgina Simpson (England) 75 72 77 (2,680 each).
225 Rebecca Hudson (England) 75 76 74, Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 76 74 75, Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 73 79 73 (2,520 each).
226 Carly Booth (Sco) 77 73 76, Lisa Hall (Eng) 74 74 78 (2,370 each).
227 Kylie Walker (Sco) 73 77 77, Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 79 74 74, Maria Boden (Swe) 74 75 78, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 74 80 73 (2,190 each).
228 Lydia Hall (Wal) 76 75 77, Jessica Ji (Kor) 76 75 77, Hanna-Leena Salonen (Finland) 76 74 78, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 75 74 79, Bettina Hauert (Ger) 78 76 74, Pamela Feggans (Sco) 74 80 74 (1,890 each).
229 Ana Larraneta (Spa) 76 75 78, Caroline Afonso (Fra) 73 76 80 (1,650 each).
230 Elizabeth Bennett (Eng) 75 76 79, Frances Bondad (Aus) 75 77 78, Mhairi McKay (Sco) 73 76 81, Laurette Maritz (S Africa) 78 77 75, Kate Combes (Aus) 76 79 75, Beth Allen (USA) 76 81 73 (1,403.33 each).
231 Dana Lacey-Johnson (Aus) 75 80 76 (1,200).
233 Karen Lunn (Aus) 74 82 77 (1,180).
234 Anna Rossi (Ita) 71 79 84 (1,160).
235 Martina Gillen (Irl) 77 77 81, Morgana Robbertze (S Africa) 82 72 81, Kathryn Imrie (Sco) 75 81 79 (1,120 each).
236 Margherita Rigon (Ita) 82 73 81, Tandi Cuningham (S Africa) 80 78 78 (1,070 each).
237 Josefin Leijon (Swe) 78 75 84 (1,040).
238 Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 83 79 76 (980)
239 Camille Fallay (Fra) 87 75 77 (960).
240 Clare Queen (Sco) 81 75 84, Claire Aitken (Eng) 77 81 82, Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha) 82 78 80, Ludivine Kreutz (Fra) 80 83 77 (930 each).
241 Heather MacRae (Downfield) 77 79 85 (880).
243 Hannah Ralph (Eng) 85 74 84 (860)
RTD: Breanne Loucks (Wal) 78 88 (840).