(19 September 2011 – Benahavis, Spain)
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Englands Melissa Reid gave herself an early 24th birthday present by collecting her third title on the Ladies European Tour at the Open de España Femenino. Reid fired a final round of 2-under par 70 to finish at 8-under total 280, one stroke clear of Lee-Anne Pace, Tania Elosegui and overnight leader Beth Allen.
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rnIt was Reid’s second win this season, following victory at the Deloitte Ladies Open in the Netherlands in June and she should be full of confidence as she heads straight to The Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle in Ireland.
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rn“It’s my second win of the season which is obviously nice preparation before Solheim Cup. It’s let me know the things I need to sharpen up next week but all in all I’m happy with the way I’m swinging it so I’m a happy, happy girl,” Reid said after the win.
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rnPlaying in the last group, a par on the 18th was good enough to seal the win after Pace three-putted for bogey to fall back to 7-under par. Reid added: “I didn’t think Pacey would three-putt the 18th so I did think going into the 18th that I would need to birdie it to win, so in the back of my mind I was thinking it was going to be a playoff but it was nice that a par was good enough to win.”
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rnPace who had to settle for joint second after an up-and-down round of 71 said, “Obviously I’m quite disappointed. I three-putted three times coming down the stretch unfortunately. I still played really well and hit 17 greens. I just left a couple out there but well done to Mel.”
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rnEleven of twelve ALPG Members made the money rounds with Stacey Keating and Rebecca Codd finishing the best in a tie for 13th at 1-under par. Frances Bondad finished one shot further back in a tie for 15th while Nikki Garrett (T29), Mianne Bagger (T33), Rebecca Flood (T33), Bree Arthur (T38), Karen Lunn (T38), Kate Combes (T64) and Lynnette Brooky (68th) all made the cut.
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rnIt was the last time we will see Kate Combes on the scoreboard as she announced during the week that the event in Spain would be her last on the LET before she heads back to domestic bliss prior to her wedding in December.