Isabelle Boineau
Riding her third straight under-par round of the week, followed by a quick one-hole playoff against Johanna Gustavsson, Isabelle Boineau walked away with the honours at the €50,000 Ladies Jabra Open. Playing error-free golf, Boineau made two birdies against a single bogey for a one-under final round to take her to seven-under for the week.
Gustavsson shot the low round of the day with a five-under round of 66. In fact, she could have won the tournament outright had it not been for two closing bogeys that put her in the playoff against Boineau. Also shooting five-under today was three-time LET and one-time LETAS winner Linda Wessberg who moved up 48 spots to finish T15.
Only one extra hole was needed, and Boineau who is a resident of Marseille, France birdied the par four 18th enroute to victory on home soil. Her scores for the week read as 67, 69 and 70 for a total of 206, while Gustavsson finished with 71, 69 and 66. Already a winner last year at the LET Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open, the Frenchwoman has now qualified for the Evian Championships later this year in September.
Gustavsson came into the Jabra tournament on the back of two missed cuts at the VP Bank Ladies Open and Forget Foundation PGA Championship earlier this year. This finish also punches her ticket for the Evian Championship slated to be held at the Evian Resort Course.
Coincidentally, both ladies in the playoff list Rory Mcilroy as their favourite golfers.
Second round leader Natalia Escuriola made the turn at even-par with one birdie and one bogey. The back-nine wasn’t as favourable with two bogeys bringing in her worst card of the week, with a two-over 73 to finish T3.
Defending champion Valentine Derrey (T11) narrowly missed out on a top-ten with a final round 73, while Mathilda Cappeliez finished as the leading amateur with a three day total of three-over (75,70,71).
The Jabra Ladies Open is one of three qualifying opportunities for the Evian Championship – the second is the US Qualifier on the Symetra Tour (PHC Classic, 4-6 August), for two spots. The third is a Korean Qualifier, which has one available spot, to be decided over two tournaments to be held between June 26 and August 7.
Next week, the LETAS heads to Vihti, Finland for the EVLI Ladies Finnish Open from the 9-11 of June 2017.
