Lucie Andre won the season-opening Santander Golf Tour – GIRONA on the 2023 LET Access Series, after firing a final round of one-under-par 70 to secure a place in the five-person play-off.
The 35-year-old from Bourg-en-Bresse, France, headed into the final day in tied eighth place, six shots off the lead, having shot rounds of 72 on each of the first two days.
Andre carded three birdies on the sixth, 15th and 17th holes – and two consecutive bogeys, on holes ten and 11, during round three.
After two holes in the play-off, Sweden’s Emma Thorngren and Switzerland’s Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen were knocked out after they both made bogeys. English rookie, Emily Price, was the third of the players to be knocked out.
In breathtaking fashion, Andre secured a bogey, to win over the Netherland’s Marit Harryvan.
“When I’m playing a play off, I’m playing my own game. I’m not playing against those who are playing me,” Andre said.
“I was making sure I played smart and made a par or less but a par is good for the 18th hole, where we played the play off.
“My game has been pretty solid, to be honest. I hit a lot of greens and a lot of fairways. The putting was a bit up and down. I’ve been very consistent on the tee shots, so it was good.”
It is Andre’s first trip to the winner’s circle on LETAS since the 2017 Foxconn Czech Ladies Challenge, but her plan for the season has not changed.
She added: “I’m just going to play a tournament and see how it goes. To be honest, I don’t have any goals for the season. I just want to finish as high as I can.
“It is always great to win and it’s even better when you have a play-off, because you feel the win more intensely.”
Santander Golf Tour-GIRONA was played at Golf Peralada and Andre paid tribute to the course and the event, a new tournament on LETAS.
“I like the Santander tournaments, because the golf courses are always nice and it’s a good mix with the LET Access Series.”
Others who finished inside the top ten included Spanish player, Teresa Diez Moliner narrowly missed out on the play-off and came sixth at two-over-par.
Italy’s Clara Manzalini and Thursday’s leader Elena Moosmann ended the tournament in tied seventh on three-over-par.
Fellow Spaniard, Elia Folch came in at tied eighth and Scotland’s Hannah McCook and Lianna Bailey shared tenth respectively.
The next tournament on the LET Access Series is the Terre Blanche Ladies Open, taking place on 13-15 April at Golf de Terre Blanche in France.
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