CARNOUSTIE's KATY McNICOLL 13TH IN SPAIN

Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll finished joint 13th in the final LETAS Tour event in Spain today, the Banesto Valencia at Escorpion Golf Club.  McNicoll shot 74, 73 and 73 for a total of four-over-par 220 - seven shots more than the tournament winner, Curtis Cup star Holly Clyburn from Cleethorpes who beat Spain's Carmen Alonso in a play-off after they had tied on 213. It was only Clyburn's second event since turning pro. Pamela Feggans from Patna, Ayrshire finished joint 27th on 226 with scores of 74, 74 and 78. Although she did finish in front of Norway's Cecilie Lundgreen, third in the Order of Merit, fourth-placed Katy McNicoll did not add enough points to make a difference in their respective placings so the three who go forward from the LETAS Order of Merit 2012 to places in the Ladies European Tour 2013 are Pamela Pretswell, Marion Ricordeau and Cecilie Lundgreen. Hard luck, Katy! Your total of 15,165 points was higher than last year's Order of Merit winner totalled.   LETAS TOUR - BANESTO VALENCIA Escorpion Golf Club, Valencia, Spain LEADING FINAL TOTALS  Par 216 (3x72)  213 Holly Clyburn (Eng) 67 71 75,  Carmen Alonso (Spa) 73 69 (Clyburn won sudden death play-off at second extra hole)  214 Marjet Van Der Graaff (Ned) 68 71 75 215 Julie Tvede (Den) 72  71 72, Eleanor Givens (Eng) 72 70 73.  216 Kirsty Taylor (Eng) 74 74 68 REST OF SCORES 7 RICORDEAU, MARION 217 1 72 71 74 8 DE VRIES, CHRISJE 218 2 72 73 73 JOHNS, TAMARA 218 2 72 73 73 LENNARTH, CAMILLA 218 2 71 71 76 11 BAÑON, SILVIA  (AM) 219 3 76 70 73 BOYES, TRACEY 219 3 73 71 75 13 MCNICOLL, KATY 220 4 74 73 73 MAETZLER, MELANIE 220 4 72 73 75 15 LUNDGREEN, CECILIE 221 5 72 73 76 16 MATTSON, MARY 222 6 76 72 74 SMIT, MONIQUE 222 6 71 77 74 SEDDA, LAURA 222 6 77 70 75 ROTMISTROVA, GALINA 222 6 73 74 75 OFRECIO, CRISINA  (AM) 222 6 73 74 75 DOUGLASS, CHARLIE 222 6 73 73 76 22 BUENDIA, BELEN 223 7 75 73 75 KATZY, LARA (AM) 223 7 75 73 75 WILD, CHARLOTTE 223 7 74 72 77 25 SILVA, MARTA 224 8 75 73 76 ESPEJO, VIRGINIA 224 8 73 73 78 27 FEGGANS, PAMELA 226 10 74 74 78 28 SCHLASBERG, VIVA 227 11 75 73 79 HOLMEN, ERIKA 227 11 74 73 80    FROM THE LETAS WEBSITE HOLLY'S FIRST PRO WIN IN ONLY SECOND         TOURNAMENT  Print Holly Clyburn (Photo: DogLeg Media) England’s Holly Clyburn from Cleethorpes won the Banesto Tour Valencia on the second play-off hole against Spain’s Carmen Alonso at GC Escorpion on Saturday. Four strokes separated Alonso and Clyburn at the start of the day. The Spaniard started with a birdie, her only bogey of the round coming at the 334 yd par 4 11th hole.  Alonso finished with a birdie on the 18th, holing a 4 metre putt to be the clubhouse leader at 3 under par. Clyburn, two groups behind Alonso, dropped a shot on the 336 yd par 4 second hole, picking up a birdie on the 4th before dropping 5 shots in the next three holes with double bogeys on both the 7th and 8th holes.  Clyburn, who helped GB and I beat the United States in the Curtis Cup match at Nairn last June, recovered well, playing the back nine in 2 under par and holing a crucial birdie putt on the 18th, to also finish at 3 under par and force a play-off with Alonso.  Both players made pars on the first play-off hole, the 18th. It was Alonso who would bogey the same hole on the second play-off hole, to hand the Englishwoman her first victory in only her second professional event.  “I am over the moon, I cannot believe that I have won. I am thrilled! This victory means a lot to me, and to my family. Today’s round has been very much up & down, the 7th and 8th were very bad holes. Even though I lost five shots in three holes, I managed to stay calm and swing well. I was very patient and went one shot at the time.  "Having Kelly Tidy (English amateur champion and Curtis Cup team-mate) caddying for me has been great. She really helped me to stay calm. On the ninth tee, the British Open experience came to my mind: I was 8 over in eight holes but finished 1 under the back nine to get into the top 25.  "I played very consistent after the 9th. I knew I had to birdie the 18th to get into the play-off and I did it!” Carmen Alonso was philosophical about losing the play-off.  “Even though I have not won, I am happy because I kept on with my game plan. I thought it would be great if I win but if I don’t, I will shake hands and congratulate whoever wins. I know I am working hard and doing the right things, and the hard work is paying off.” The Netherlands' Marjet Van Der Graaff finished in 3rd place at 2 under par, with Julie Tvede and Eleanor Givens tied for 4th, a further shot back at 1 under par. Scotland’s Pamela Pretswell, although unable to compete in Spain due to illness, claimed the LET Access Series Order of Merit title and both France’s Marion Ricordeau and Norway’s Cecilie Lundgreen, along with Pretswell, secured their Ladies European Tour cards for the 2013 season.