Date: November 01, 2010
Author: Paul Melville

LET – PACE GOES BACK-TO-BACK FOR 5th WIN OF SEASON

(1 November 2010 – Shanghai, China)

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South Africas Lee-Anne Pace stretched her lead in the Henderson Money List after securing her fifth win of the season in a four-way playoff at the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open in Shanghai yesterday. A second hole birdie by the 29-year-old saw her take victory with American Hannah Jun, Paraguayan Julieta Granada and Holland’s Christel Boeljon consigned to joint runner-up.
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rnAt the start of final round Pace was six shots off the lead and basically looking for as good a finish as possible. However midway through her round, she said, “After nine holes I looked at the leaderboard and saw that the leaders were dropping shots. I was level par at that stage (1-under for the tournament) and knew that if I could make five or six birdies that I would have a pretty good chance to be up there, so that was the goal.” While she didn’t manage the six birdies, she did add four birdies which was enough to finish at 5-under par.
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rnDewi Claire Schreefel of The Netherlands had started the day at 7-under par with a one shot lead over compatriot, Boeljon with ALPG Member Rebecca Coakley a further shot back in third. A host of players started the day with a chance to win but it was the trio of Pace, Granada and Jun that mastered the conditions and final day pressures to come from 1-under at the start of the day to each shoot 4-under par 68’s to get in the clubhouse at 5-under.
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rnSchreefel succumbed to the pressure with a final round of 3-over par 75, while Coakley shot 1-over 73 to leave her with another missed opportunity for a first time victory. With four or five holes to play and three players in the clubhouse at 5-under; Boeljon, Coakley, Florentyna Parker, Nikki Garrett, Kylie Walker and Becky Brewerton all had chances to join the leaders. However, only Boeljon could make a birdie at the last to get to 5-under and join the four-way playoff.
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rnThe players went back to the par-5 18th and after two shots it was advantage-Pace who had reached the green in two shots and had an eagle opportunity for a dramatic victory. However, a three-putt put paid to that chance while both Jun and Boeljon also made pars to continue the playoff.
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rnThe second time around Pace wasn’t going to let the chance slip. Again reaching the green in two, she again held the advantage and when Boeljon and then Jun both missed their birdie attempts, she calmly two-putted for an unlikely win. Afterwards she said, “I actually feel like I stole it today. I think it was important to get that first win, because last year I was close to winning a few times. I know what it feels like and I handle the nerves a lot better.”
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rnOf the ALPG Members, Rebecca Coakley tied for 5th, just one shot shy of the playoff, while Nikki Garrett finished tied for 12th after a bogey at the 16th hole ruled her out of contention. Danielle Bowers was the next best after gaining a start through her LAGT Membership, finishing at even par in a tie for 19th. Frances Bondad (T27), Kate Combes (T50) and Karen Lunn (T55) also made the cut.
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rnThe players move to Korea for the third of the Tour’s Asian Swing; the Korean Ladies Masters in Jeju, South Korea.