TURKISH DELIGHT FOR VIKKI LAING AND KELSEY MACDONALD

SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR REPORT
AND THE COMPLETE SCOREBOARD IN TURKEY
 
By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Vikki Laing and Kelsey MacDonald flew home from Turkey last night (Sunday) all smiles. Vikki because she gave her confidence a much-needed boost with a top 10 finish in the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open and Kelsey because she finished in the prize money on her debut as a tour professional.

Vikki, after parring every hole on the outward journey in her final round at the National

Golf Club, Antalya, bogeyed three in a row from the 10th, but she pulled out of the nosedive by covering her last six holes in one-under-par, thanks to a birdie at the long 15th.

A 75 for a total of one-over-par 293 (77-73-68-75) over the par-73 course earned the Musselburgh player joint 10th place - only four shots behind the winner, Lee-Anne Pace (South Africa) (70-77-70-72) - and earned her 4,800 Euros. Lee-Anne is pictured above with the trophy (image courtesy of the Ladies European Tour.

Kelsey, who turned pro after receiving an invitation to compete from the sponsors, picked up a cheque for 2,212 Euros, the same as Hamilton's Pamela Pretswell who also finished joint 31st on 299.

Nairn Dunbar's Kelsey. soon to graduate from Stirling University, had rounds of 76, 77, 72 and 74, her final round including a double bogey 5 at the short third but also a bag of four birdies.

Pretswell shot 76, 76, 72 and 75.

Comrie's Carly Booth had a tournament she will want to forget quickly. Rounds of 78, 75, 82 and 74 for 309 saw her finish 62nd and earn only 675 Euros.

Kylie Walker was the only Scot who did not make the halfway cut.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 292 (4x73)

289 Lee-Anne Pace (SAf) 70 77 70 72 (37,500 Euros).

290 Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 75 75 70 70, Charley Hull (Eng) 75 71 69 75, Carlota Ciganda (Spa) 69 74 72 75 (18,791 Euros each).

291 Christel Boeljon (Net) 71 78 67 75 (10,600 Euros).

292 Holly Clyburn (Eng) 74 71 75 72, Florentyna Parker (Eng) 74 71 72 75, Eleanor Givens (Eng) 72 73 74 73, Trish Johnson (Eng) 71 71 75 75 (7,025 Euros each).

SELECTED TOTALS

293 Vikki Laing (Sco) 77 73 68 75 (4,800 Euros) (T10)

294 Laura Davies (Eng) 72 70 75 74 (3,975 Euros) (T12).

298 Mel Reid (Eng) 75 77 73 73, Liz Young (Eng) 75 73 77 73 (T20) (2,625 Euros each).

299 Kelsey MacDonald (Sco) 76 77 72 74, Pamela Pretswell (Sco) 76 76 72 75, Sophie Walker (Eng) 75 78 70 76 (T31) (2,212 Euros each).

302 Holly Aitchison (Eng) 77 74 75 767 (T43) (1,425 Euros).

303 Hannah Burke (Eng) 77 76 78 72 (T47) (1,250 Euros).

306 Charlotte Ellis (Eng) 72 76 75 83 (T53) (975 Euros)

309 Carly Booth (Sco) 78 75 82 74 (62nd) (675 Euros).

SOUTH AFRICAN OUTPACES TURKISH FIELD

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
By BETHAN CUTLER, LET Media Manager

Lee-Anne Pace collected her sixth Ladies European Tour title at the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open, three years after her last victory in 2010, when she won the Order of Merit and five titles around the world.

With a final round one-under-par 72, the 32-year-old South African came from two shots behind the overnight leaders Charley Hull and Carlota Ciganda to win by one at National Golf Club.

Playing in the penultimate group, in fine weather, Pace posted the clubhouse lead at three-under before an agonising wait on the putting green to see if she could be caught by Hull, Ciganda or the two-time defending champion Christel Boeljon.

All three players needed a birdie to force a play-off and Boeljon was eliminated after she found the bunker off the tee and had to lay-up to the fairway.

Hull and Ciganda both had fairly long birdie putts to stay in the tournament but Ciganda’s birdie putt from around 25 feet lipped out, before Hull’s edged past the hole.

“My heart stopped for a while, for a beat, but you know, if it happens, it happens. We may have had to go to a play-off but I was just hitting some putts and trying not to look,” said Pace, adding that patience was the key. “It’s so nice to win again. It’s been a while and to do it again is fantastic.”

Playing on one of the toughest courses on the Ladies European Tour schedule, Pace had a blistering start with birdies on the second and fourth holes and she had established a one stroke lead by the turn.

She used a nine-iron to strike her ball within a metre of the flag on the par-three second before hitting a chip and a putt for birdie on the par-five fourth hole.

She made a fantastic up and down on number six and then another good save after finding the bunker on eight.

On the more difficult back nine, she made a great save on 10, before dropping a shot on 11 after a gust of wind knocked the ball down short of the green and immediately responded with a birdie on 12, followed by a bogey on 14.

“It’s definitely one of the toughest golf courses, also because the greens get quite a lot harder at the end of the week and quicker. It’s a very tight golf course so of course you have to keep the ball in play,” said Pace, who was congratulated by her friend Ciganda, the LET Player of the Year in 2012.

Joint runner-up Ciganda said: “I’ve been playing good but today wasn’t like the days before. I didn’t hit the ball that good and I only hit 12 greens compared to 15 or 16 the other days. It was a bit tough but I tried until the end. I finished with one birdie on the last five holes and until the end I was trying to fight, but only one person can win and Lee-Anne played great so congratulations to her.”

Rookie professional Hull, 17, finished equal second for the third time in as many tournament starts this season.

“I’m pleased but just a bit annoyed. At least I parred the last,” she said. “I didn’t play very good on the first 11 holes. The back nine, I played a lot better. I seem to perform better when I’m under pressure and I have to chase, like the last couple of holes. I just edged my putt on 17 and literally edged the hole on 18 and I thought I had it, but it was a good try. I’ve had three second place finishes in my first three tournaments so I just want to win one now.”

Hull and Ciganda were joined in second by Finland’s Minea Blomqvist, who fired a second successive round of 70 and commented: “I have to be very, very happy. It was a very tough start for me. The front nine was plus one and I didn’t get it going. I was very happy to make five birdies on the back nine. I have had such a difficult time for three years with my game and I actually want to cry right now because I’m so happy.”

The next Ladies European Tour event is the Deloitte Ladies Open in Holland, on May 24-26, where Ciganda will be defending, Hull will have another stab at claiming her maiden title and Boeljon will be the leading lady on home soil.

 

  THE COMPLETE SCOREBOARD

Par 292 (4x73)

289 - Lee-Anne Pace (RSA)  70 77 70 72

290 - Charley Hull (ENG)  75 71 69 75, Carlota Ciganda (ESP)  69 74 72 75, Minea Blomqvist (FIN)  75 75 70 70

291 - Christel Boeljon (NED)  71 78 67 75

292 - Holly Clyburn (ENG)  74 71 75 72, Eleanor Givens (ENG)  72 73 74 73, Florentyna Parker (ENG)  74 71 72 75, Trish Johnson (ENG)  71 71 75 75

293 - Linda Wessberg (SWE)  72 77 70 74, Vikki Laing (SCO)  77 73 68 75

294 - Line Vedel (DEN)  76 76 71 71, Laura Davies (ENG)  72 70 78 74, Sarah Kemp (AUS)  70 79 71 74, Gwladys Nocera (FRA)  81 71 70 72

296 - Carmen Alonso (ESP)  70 72 79 75

297 - Bree Arthur (AUS)  75 77 72 73, Mireia Prat (ESP)  73 75 75 74, Miriam Nagl (GER)  72 75 74 76, Valentine Derrey (FRA)  74 74 74 75, Margarita Ramos (MEX)  75 72 73 77, Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER)  72 77 74 74, Caroline Afonso (FRA)  76 69 76 76, Sharmila Nicollet (IND)  74 75 76 72, Klara Spilkova (CZE)  76 72 76 73

298 - Whitney Hillier (AUS)  75 76 72 75, Diana Luna (ITA)  74 77 76 71, Julie Greciet (FRA)  75 74 75 74, Melissa Reid (ENG)  75 77 73 73, Liz Young (ENG)  75 73 77 73

299 - Kelsey MacDonald (SCO)  76 77 72 74, Nontaya Srisawang (THA)  74 75 72 78, Malene Jorgensen (DEN)  77 73 74 75, Pamela Pretswell (SCO)  76 76 72 75, Sophie Walker (ENG)  75 78 70 76, Louise Larsson (SWE)  77 70 75 77

300 - Veronica Zorzi (ITA)  73 78 73 76, Rebecca Artis (AUS)  74 73 76 77

301 - Nikki Campbell (AUS)  75 73 77 76, Cecilie Lundgreen (NOR)  70 78 79 74, Mallory Fraiche (USA)  76 73 73 79, Beth Allen (USA)  75 77 73 76

302 - Holly Aitchison (ENG)  77 74 75 76, Stefania Croce (ITA)  76 77 71 78, Joanna Klatten (FRA)  75 76 77 74, Katie Burnett (USA)  72 78 76 76

303 - Hannah Burke (ENG)  77 76 78 72, Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA)  77 73 78 75, Mikaela Parmlid (SWE)  72 77 73 81

304 - Nina Holleder (GER)  76 77 74 77

305 - Leigh Whittaker (GER)  74 78 73 80, Jade Schaeffer (FRA)  76 74 81 74

306 - Charlotte Ellis (ENG)  72 76 75 83, Sophie Giquel-bettan (FRA)  74 77 80 75

307 - Morgana Robbertze (RSA)  75 76 81 75, Maria Salinas (PER)  75 76 78 78

308 - Sarah King (AUS)  77 75 75 81, Cassandra Kirkland (FRA)  76 75 78 79, Ursula Wikstrom (FIN)  77 76 76 79, Margherita Rigon (ITA)  77 75 78 78, Paula Hurtado (COL)  75 75 81 77

309 - Carly Booth (SCO)  78 75 82 74

310 - Rebecca Sorensen (SWE)  72 77 81 80

311 - Daniela Holmqvist (SWE)  73 76 80 82

313 - Emma Cabrera-bello (ESP)  73 79 79 82

320 - Virginie Lagoutte-clement (FRA)  76 77 88 79

322 - Jessica Yadloczky (USA)  78 75 83 86