Spain’s Amaia Latorre claimed her maiden Tour title at The Ahlsell Trophy by Destination Jonkoping after defeating home favourite Sweden’s Isabell Ekstrom in a one-hole playoff at Gränna Golf Club.
Latorre began the day tied for sixth and posted an impressive final round of 66 (-6) to force a playoff including a birdie on the 18th.
The 27-year-old rolled in another birdie putt on the par five 18th hole to clinch her fourth professional victory. The Spaniard has won three times on the Santander Golf Tour.
Speaking about what it means to win, Latorre said: “It feels amazing. It has been a rough two months for me so to come out with this is great.
“I didn’t have the best night’s sleep, but I was thinking that the winning score would be eight under yesterday. Today I just wanted to focus on every single shot and play my best. I did that.”
This was Latorre’s first experience with a playoff as a professional, but she entered it calm.
“I did not know where I was on the leaderboard until I walked off. I had Marina Escobar Domingo, my Tour bestie, on the bag in the last hole which helped.
“I just thought I was going to enjoy the hole. I believed that’s everything done and if I can compete and win it then that would be fate.”
Latorre has divided her season between the LET and LETAS after earning LET category 16 at Q School back in December. The Spaniard had a highest finish of tied 17th on the LET at the Jabra Ladies Open where she shot a 66-opening round.
After six LETAS events, Latorre now moves to ninth on the Order of Merit after two more top 10 finishes this season. She is taking a scheduled week off next week.
“Next week we are going to Majorca to a friend’s house so that will be the perfect celebration.”
Latorre had an unusual pathway to professional golf. After her parents introduced her to golf at the age of three, the 26-year-old balanced golf with her other passion, football. Football was the priority but at the insistence of coaches and friends, golf took more precedent in her life.
“I’m not sure whether I will play all the LETAS events going forward. I need to think about it. Getting a LETAS win was a goal and that’s checked. Now I am thinking about the next goal, the card.”
Ekstrom, the overnight leader and runner-up moves inside the top 20 on the Order of Merit to 18th.
England’s Lauren Holmey finished solo third on seven-under-par whilst Spain’s Maria Parra and Czechia’s Patricie Mackova share fourth position on four-under-par.
USA’s Annika Borrelli and England’s Ellen Hume both shot one-under-par rounds to share sixth place.
LETAS now heads to Slovakia for the second edition of the Ladies Slovak Golf Open held at TALE Ski Golf and Hotel Resort. The event is held 13-15 August.
For more information on the LET Access Series, visit letaccess.com and follow @LETAccess on Facebook, Instagram and X – #Access2LET.
