After eight years of trying and in her 129th start, Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson finally became a tournament champion on the LET with a decisive victory in the Lacoste Ladies Open de France.
With a closing round of six-under-par 65, the 30-year-old from Orebro finished with a 54-hole total of 197, 16-under-par, at Golf Barrière in Deauville.
Having started the day with a one-stroke lead over her compatriot Moa Folke, it was an exciting final round battle as the pair duelled for the lead over the front nine.
However, a hole-out eagle at the par-4 13th, where Gustavsson holed her second shot from 112 metres using a pitching wedge, proved decisive and Folke bogeyed the next hole, giving Gustavsson a four-stroke advantage.
Although Folke birdied the short 17th, Gustavsson had two putts for a three-stroke victory on the 18th green.
Folke also made a regulation par to finish outright second and England’s Meghan MacLaren, the runner-up last year and playing in the final group, finished a stroke further back in third.
Gustavsson, who had recorded 16 top-10s including four runner-up finishes previously on the LET, following on from two victories on the LET Access Series, said: “I feel amazing. I’ve been waiting for this one a long time and it’s just really fun.”
Speaking about her second shot on 13, which landed two metres beyond the flag and span back into the hole, she said: “I wish I could have seen the shot. I just heard the crowd go wild and realised it was in.”
Gustavsson thanked fellow LET player Emma Nilsson for acting as her caddie and couldn’t hold back the tears when asked about the support of her husband and swing coach, Alex Wrigley.
Looking into the camera, she said: “Alex: we did it! It means a lot. We worked incredibly hard and I look forward to seeing him.”
When asked how she would celebrate, she replied: “Hopefully, watch the Ryder Cup tomorrow and see Europe win.”
Second year LET member Folke showed her class with a final round of 67.
The 28-year-old from Saby said: “I played really well. I’m happy, I did what I had planned. I stuck to my routine and I hit a lot of really good shots out there. I’m proud of myself. It wasn’t enough today.
“I know Johanna’s been close and finished second so many times, so I’m happy for her to finally get the win. I felt like until hole number 12, when I was just one behind, I was really close…
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