(Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales)
rn
Former British Open champion, Karen Lunn has held off a strong field to claim the richest event in this season’s Club Car Series at the Peugeot Kangaroo Valley ALPG Classic today.
rn
Lunn, who began the day in a share for second place behind South Australia’s Susie Mathews fired a second consecutive 1-under par 70 to turn a two-shot deficit into a two-shot win as Mathews battled to a 3-over par 74. None of the other contenders from round 1 mounted a challenge on the testing Kangaroo Valley course.
rn
Winner of 9 international events including the 1993 Women’s British Open, the 42-year old from Banora Point in northern New South Wales said she was ecstatic to win her second ALPG event (adding to her 2004 Eden Gardens Pro-am win). “This was a quality field and when you beat the likes of Sarah Kemp, Nikki Garrett and Vicky Thomas you know you have played well. To be honest, I was quite nervous today, and I really felt it coming down the stretch. I was disappointed not to birdie either the 16th or 18th as they are both reachable for me, but at the end of the day I am very excited.” Lunn, the current Ladies European Tour Chairman, has overcome a string of injuries which have plagued her in recent years, and at times, restricted her participation in some tournaments. This tournament highlights an old saying, about class and talent lasting.
rn
After a steady start of four consecutive pars, Lunn stumbled with a double bogey on the long par-4 5th hole. “I hit my tee shot right, lost the ball, went back to the tee, hit it in the trees, chipped out sideways and then hit a 7-iron from 160-yards to 6 inches and tapped in for a double” she said.
rn
20- years of Tour experience paid off however, as she stepped on to the next tee, a long par-3, and hit her 4-iron to 3 feet and holed the birdie putt. “Years ago I would still have been steaming after the previous hole, but I guess I have a better attitude now and was able to put the previous hole behind me and hit a great shot at the 6th.”
rn
Steady play followed with an 11th hole bogey sandwiched between birdies at the 9th and 12th holes. Then, after “two great par saves at the 14th and 15th” Lunn finished with three safe pars to finish at a 2-under par total 140.
rn
Lunn added, “Despite the wear and tear (of body) I am playing some of the best golf of my career. I am not 100% actually. I had a cortisone injection in my shoulder last week, but now is the best I have felt for a long time. Putting has never been my strength, but I have been working very hard on it and right now my short game is the best it has ever been.”
rn
For Mathews, who has not finished outside the Top-8 in her past five events, it was a struggle to keep her round close to par. She recorded her only birdie on the 9th hole, but could not make the crucial putts she had dropped in her opening round of 3-under par 68. Her runner-up finish does however put her on top of the current Order of Merit and she will no doubt be keen to go one better in the upcoming events.
rn
Fans expected challenges from the three other players who shared 2nd place overnight, but nothing eventuated. Sarah Kemp (70, 75), Rachel Bailey (70, 76) and Rebecca Coakley (70, 78) faded early in their rounds and could not make up ground on the leaders. Meanwhile, the only player to break 70 was 2006 Kangaroo Valley winner Shani Waugh who conquered the long and testing layout with a 2-under par 69. Waugh (75,69), called a two stroke penalty on herself in the first round, after playing a stroke with a different “model” ball after dropping from a hazard. She finished in a tie for 3rd place with Nikki Garrett (73,71) and Mianne Bagger (72,72.) on a total of 2-over par 144.
rn
Denmark’s Bagger has climbed to the lead in the Club Car Series with 1,300 points, in what is building into an exciting finish with just two events to be played. She is closely followed by Mathews on 1,240 points, two-time winner this season Stacey Tate on 1,200 points and Rachel Bailey on 1,140 points.
rn
The ALPG Tour heads to Royal Canberra for the penultimate event ($25,000 ActewAGL Royal Canberra Golf Club ALPG Classic) before the Club Car Series concludes at Branxton on 17-18 January.
rn
rn