From left to right: Sergio Avila, Vice President Regional Government of the Azores, Fabienne In-Albon and Antonio Carmona Santos
Switzerland’s Fabienne In- Albon won her first professional title in the third edition of the Azores Ladies Open today at Terceira Golf Club.
After finishing runner-up in the HLR Golf Academy Open in August, In- Albon was able to clinch the title this week and produce her third top ten of the season on the LET Access Series.
But it has been a difficult few weeks for the Swiss player who had to withdraw from the Ladies Norwegian Challenge due to a rib injury and also missed last week’s WPGA International Challenge in England. She commented, “I got injured in Norway and had to give up after the first round. I decided to stay home one week to heal the injury, but I really wanted compete and came here without any practice.”
In-Albon’s first victory of her career was achieved with a solid final round of 72 for a 212 total. Germany’s Isabell Gabsa finished in a tie for second place with Mireia Prat from Spain after a dispppointing 75 on the final day. Meanwhile Prat produced an impressive bogey-free 64 to move up from 22nd place to 2nd.
The Spanish player has now guaranteed her card on the Ladies European Tour for next season but has another goal in mind, to finish at the top of the LETAS Order of Merit at the end of the year.
In-Albon’s victory moved her up to 5th place on the LETAS Order of Merit and with just two events remaining on this year’s schedule, currently in a position to also gain her LET exemption for next season, “A first win as a professional is special, but it means so much more. I wanted to finish in the top-20 of the Order of Merit at the start of the year and to go directly to the final stage of LET Qualifying School. That is guaranteed but this victory in the Azores, who knows, might motivate me to another triumph in tournaments that still lie ahead, put me in the top 5 and go right to the LET.”
Four players, Denmark’s Nicole Broch Larsen, Antonella Cvitan from Sweden, Poland’s Martyna Mierzwa and Elisabetta Bertini from Italy finished in a tie for fourth place at even par, whilst the leading amateur was the talented 16 year-old Hungarian, Csilla Rozca who finished at +9 (225).
The next event on the LET Access Series is the Amirandes Ladies Open, which takes place at the Crete Golf Club from the 24 – 26 October.
