(17 May 2010 – Munich, Germany)
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The irrepressible Laura Davies collected her 74th career title with victory at the UniCredit Ladies German Open on Sunday. In cold, wet and windy conditions that she is used to, Davies fired a final round of 4-under par 68 to overcome a four shot deficit heading into the final round. She finished two shots clear of compatriot Melissa Reid, with third round leader Ashleigh Simon in third while Australia’s Karen Lunn finished in outright fourth.
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rnSimon started the final day in front by one shot at 11-under par, with Reid one back and Sweden’s Linda Wessberg a further shot back. Davies soon made up the deficit with birdies at the 1st, 7th and 8th holes to move to 10-under while Simon dropped shots at the 6th and 8th after an earlier birdie. Reid had to settle for nine straight pars on her outward nine to stay at 9-under.
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rnThe conditions made it difficult to get anything going for most players and pars were at a premium around the back nine. Wessberg had moved to within one shot of the lead through 12 holes but proceeded to make three bogeys on the run home to fall from contention. Reid made a bogey at the 10th to drop to 9-under and couldn’t make any birdies on the way in to finish on that score. Davies, playing three groups in front of the leaders, added a fourth birdie for the day on the 17th to move to 11-under par. Meanwhile, Simon dropped shots at both the 14th and 16th holes to leave herself little chance of catching Davies.
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rnIn the end, it was the fact that Davies hadn’t made a bogey since her 13th hole on the Friday, adding 10 birdies after finishing the opening two rounds nine shots adrift of the leaders. Afterwards, she commented, “I didn’t have a bogey on the weekend and that’s always a good thing.” Asked about the reason for missing the tournament on the LPGA she said that a few players had told her that she’d love it and afterwards made the remark, “I love playing golf courses which allow me to have fun and use my driver and cut some corners. This is built for me. I think the architect had me in mind.”
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rnFollowing her win at the Pegasus New Zealand Women’s Open, Davies moved further ahead on the Henderson Money List and now heads the list with a €57,000 lead over runner-up Reid. Davies said afterwards, “That’s the key for these four weeks that I’m playing: I want to have a good run and try to establish a good position on the Money List.”
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rnFor the ALPG contingent, it was a better week than in Turkey with Lunn’s fourth placing, and Nikki Garrett (T14), Frances Bondad and Kristie Smith (both T25), Rebecca Coakley (T31) and Dana Lacey-Johnson (T55) all making the cut.
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The LET moves to Slovakia in two weeks for the €350,000 Ladies Slovak Open.
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Photos coutesy of LET.
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