Oona Vartiainen
Finland’s Oona Vartiainen shot a closing 66, 6 under par, to win the Open Generali de Strasbourg by two shots from England’s Eleanor Givens and Lucie Andre from France.
The 22-year-old from Turku, who won eight Finnish Championship medals and a silver medal at the European Amateur Team Championships in 2014 before turning professional, started her final round strongly with two birdies in the first three holes. A further birdie came at the short par 4th ninth hole followed by her first bogey of the day on the 11th hole.
The Finn then pulled away from the field with four birdies in a row from the 12th to the 15th. Vartiainen, whose motto is ‘Enjoy the Moment’, will have enjoyed her final birdie on the 18th hole to guarantee her first professional victory.
Eleanor Givens recorded her lowest round of the week, finishing with a 68, containing five birdies and one lone bogey on the 1st hole, to finish in a tie for 2nd place, alongside France’s Lucie Andre, who also closed with a 4 under par round, 68. Andre’s runner-up finish elevated the Frenchwoman to the top of the Generali Ladies Tour Order of Merit.
Overnight leader Nuutinen, started the day well with an opening nine of two under par, 33, to move to nine under par. The Finn then conceded a double bogey on the par five 13th hole, which ended her chance of victory, settling for fourth place on her own at 9 under par.
Fourteen-year-old French amateur Pauline Bouchard Roussin, playing in her first professional tournament alongside overnight leader Sanna Nuutinen and Lucie Andre, was understandably nervous, starting with a bogey on her first hole. Bouchard Roussin recovered well with three birdies and one further bogey to close with a one under par, 71, finishing in a tie for 5th place with Austria’s Christine Wolf (69), Kym Larratt (70) from England and Australian Bree Arthur (70) at 7 under par.
A ninth place finish for Germany’s Isi Gabsa helped maintain her position at the top of the LETAS Order of Merit.
The LET Access Series moves to Sweden for the Borås Ladies Open, which takes place at Borås Golf Club from the 3 – 5 July.
