(25 June 2012 – Prague, Czech Republic)
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England&aposs Melissa Reid held on to her overnight lead to record a gutsy win at the Raiffeisenbank Prague Golf Masters on Sunday. Her victory margin was one shot over Italy’s Diana Luna while Australia’s Rachel Bailey posted her best LET finish in a tie for third with England’s Rebecca Hudson.
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rnReid was playing her first event since the death of her mother, Joy, in a car accident in Germany four weeks previously. She maintained her composure until holing the winning putt before the tears openly flowed on the 18th green.
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rn“To be honest I wasn’t that nervous. I think with something like what’s happened to my family and me the last four weeks nothing really seems that difficult anymore,” said Reid, who finished on a nine under par total of 207, with rounds of 68, 67 and 72. “I spoke to my coach when I went back a couple of weeks after and he said to me, ‘I don’t know when it’s going to be, but this will make you a stronger person,’ and my best friends have said that as well and I honestly think it will.
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rn“It will make me fight and nothing will seem as bad as what I’ve been through, so yeah, I actually felt very calm and I knew I was going to hole the putt on 18.”
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Reid started the final round with a one shot lead over Italian Stefania Croce but had a shaky front nine with a bogey at the third for an outward total of one over 37.
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rnLuna moved a stroke ahead at nine under par after Reid missed a short putt on the 14th, but then the Italian three-putted from long range on 16 to again be tied with Reid. Bailey had earlier posted 7-under par as the score to beat and with Croce out of the running, the battle was always going to be between Reid and Luna.
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rnReid birdied 17, the hardest hole on the course, just as Luna made par at the last for the clubhouse lead at eight under. Asked about the 17th, Reid said, “I would say it’s the toughest hole on the golf course and I hadn’t really been committing that much all the way round. I probably got a little bit tense and was wanting to win a little bit too much. Johnny, my caddie, just said, ‘let this one go’ and I absolutely nailed it down the middle, stiffed a 52 and then the same on 18. I hit a pretty good drive, got a bit unlucky and then hit a great second shot on 18 too actually: it just went on a little bit too much. I’m very happy to win.
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rnI just didn’t hole anything until pretty much 17 and 18 which were the only two putts I holed really, so it was just nice to do it in that way and I’m just over the moon I’ve won.”
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rnOn collecting her fourth LET victory, Reid added: “Obviously it’s very special with what the family and stuff has been through the last four weeks, so you know, obviously it is good news to the family and will bring a smile on our faces at such a horrible time, so it means a lot.” She will now return home to the UK before competing at the US Women’s Open in a fortnight’s time.
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rnTen of the 13 ALPG representatives made the cut in what was the best collective effort of the season. Bailey moved into the Top-40 on the ISPS Handa Order of Merit with her 3rd place while Stacey Keating recorded her second Top-5 finish of the year, in a tie for 5th just a shot behind Bailey. There were also good performances from Nikki Garrett (T7), Rebecca Codd (T11) and Karen Lunn (T16) meaning the ALPG had 5 players in the Top-20. Bree Arthur (T30), Lynnette Brooky (T41), Danielle Montgomery, Rebecca Artis (both T53) and Stephanie Na (T63) also made cheques.
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