(12 September 2011 – Prague, Czech Republic)
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Frenchwoman Jade Schaeffer secured a two shot victory at the inaugural Raiffeisenbank Prague Golf Masters in the Czech Republic on Sunday. It was the 25-year-old Parisian&aposs second LET title after she last won two years ago in Germany. A final round of 2-under par 70 was enough to hold off compatriot Julie Greciet with Sweden’s Linda Wessberg one stroke further back in third. Home town favourite, 16-year old Czech rookie Klára Spilková finished in a tie for ninth place.
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rnBeginning the day four strokes clear, Schaeffer birdied the second hole before a bogey at the third. She followed that with an eagle two on the fourth after smashing her drive to ten feet from the flag on the 285-yard hole. She added another birdie at the ninth hole leaving her four clear of Greciet with nine to play.
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Schaeffer settled her nerves with five pars to start the back nine before her second bogey of the day at the 15th cutting her lead from three to two. However, three steady pars to finish were enough to capture the €30,000 first place cheque. Afterwards she said, “I’m so happy. It’s very good because I won two years ago and I think it’s the best sensation, to win, for a golfer. My golf today was very good and I played so well, the same as the last day, but my putting did not rendezvous. It’s okay.”
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rnSchaeffer had to succumb to a wrist with surgery in January before making her LET comeback in Germany in May. She has been steadily improving with Top-20 finishes at both of her last two events in Scotland and Austria, but a career-low round of 64 on the second day proved the catalyst to her victory.
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rnGreciet, who earned a career best finish of second with a final round 65, was one of a group of French players who ran onto the 18th green to spray Schaeffer in champagne as she raised her hands aloft in celebration. She commented, “I am very happy. The putting was very good. I made 27 putts and that’s great.”
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rnSpilková, tied for second overnight, was overcome with emotion as she ended the round in front of a vociferous home gallery. The teary 16-year-old sensation from Prague explained: “I was just happy. I finished with two bogeys but I was happy, because there were so many people and it’s really nice. This is good for us. This is good for the Czech Republic for a small country. I hope it will grow up and be better and better.”
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rnNikki Garrett was the best of the ALPG contingent finishing in a tie for 9th at 7-under par, six shots off the pace. It was her second Top-10 in her last two starts and she seems to be getting back to the form that saw her win twice in 2007. Danielle Montgomery (T18), Stacey Keating (T24), Karen Lunn (T29) and Rebecca Codd (T56) also made the cut.