Canarian Weekly
27-09-2014, 16:51
THE Spanish Ladies Open was a big success last weekend and large crowds enjoyed the golf at Costa Adeje.
England’s Trish Johnson shot a stunning first -round 65 to be the early leader, only to fall away over the weekend.
Charly Hull was always among the front-runners before finishing fourth, while South African Connie Chen fired a superb final round of three-under-par 69 to earn her first Ladies European Tour victory.
The 21-year-old from Pretoria ended on 12-under and two strokes clear of home favourite Carlota Ciganda after four rounds, with Beth Allen of the US a stroke further behind in third place.
“I’m so happy,” said Chen. “I was so nervous teeing off, but being able to keep going and make that eagle on the back nine gave me a good feeling for the day.”
Her previous best finish in four years on tour was a tie for seventh in this year’s Sberbank Golf Masters, in the Czech Republic.
Having arrived at the venue a week early to practise on the greens, her preparation was meticulous and she and her father Hong, who acts as her caddie, decided to take a more relaxed approach.
“It’s nice that we worked really well this week together,” said Chen. “It was a little different from our usual disagreements on the course. We just discussed that there are some things that work, with him being my father and us being so close, and some things that we need to get a little bit of distance in the relationship and chill out.
“With him being so close to me, he wants me to do so well, so he was able to let go of that and let me play my own game this week.”
The South African becomes the 12th first-time winner of a Ladies European Tour event this season.
England’s Trish Johnson shot a stunning first -round 65 to be the early leader, only to fall away over the weekend.
Charly Hull was always among the front-runners before finishing fourth, while South African Connie Chen fired a superb final round of three-under-par 69 to earn her first Ladies European Tour victory.
The 21-year-old from Pretoria ended on 12-under and two strokes clear of home favourite Carlota Ciganda after four rounds, with Beth Allen of the US a stroke further behind in third place.
“I’m so happy,” said Chen. “I was so nervous teeing off, but being able to keep going and make that eagle on the back nine gave me a good feeling for the day.”
Her previous best finish in four years on tour was a tie for seventh in this year’s Sberbank Golf Masters, in the Czech Republic.
Having arrived at the venue a week early to practise on the greens, her preparation was meticulous and she and her father Hong, who acts as her caddie, decided to take a more relaxed approach.
“It’s nice that we worked really well this week together,” said Chen. “It was a little different from our usual disagreements on the course. We just discussed that there are some things that work, with him being my father and us being so close, and some things that we need to get a little bit of distance in the relationship and chill out.
“With him being so close to me, he wants me to do so well, so he was able to let go of that and let me play my own game this week.”
The South African becomes the 12th first-time winner of a Ladies European Tour event this season.