The final group at the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open in China on Sunday – which included Rebecca Coakley of Team Ireland – failed to deliver the expected fireworks for most of their round as all three players finished over par with only Christel Boeljon forcing her way into a four way play off - after a birdie on the final green.
Sizhou Taihu Ladies Open leader board
The Netherlands’ duo of Christel Boeljon and Dewi-Claire Schreefel shot final rounds of 73 and 75 respectively, with Coakley also carding a birdie on the last to sign for a 73 to earn share of 5th place.
Having started two shots adrift of Schreefel, and one behind Boeljon, the Irish player had the most to do on the final day.
The in-form Lee-Anne Pace from Mossel Bay in South Africa – the same club as Open Winner Louis Oosthuizen - Hannah Jun of the United States and Julieta Granada of Paraguay all carded rounds of 68 to post the club hose lead at 5 under.
In the end it Lee-Anne Pace once again who clinched the four-way sudden death play-off to win the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open in China, just a week after she won the Sanya Ladies Open - the South African having come from six shots back to force the tie-breaker with Christel Boeljon, Hannah Jun and Julieta Granada.
Pace had an eagle putt to win outright at the first extra hole: the par-five 18th - but three-putted for a par to tie with Boeljon and Jun.
Boeljon had a birdie chance from three feet on the first play-off hole but the ball slipped agonisingly past to the right. Jun also missed a short birdie putt while Granada was eliminated after scoring a bogey.
But at the next, Pace hit a monster drive splitting the fairway and again hit her three-wood shot onto the green in two. After both of the other players missed their birdie putts, Pace was not going to waste a second opportunity and two-putted for birdie to secure the victory.
“This time I’m a little overwhelmed to be honest,” said Pace, who has won in Switzerland, Wales, Finland and China - twice.
“I actually feel like I stole it today. I’ve put in a lot of work and I’m able to shape the ball and hit the shots I want to hit,” she said.
“My caddie said I needed four birdies in the last four holes to do it and I birdied three of them so it was a nice way to finish. I love China and I’m definitely coming back to defend my titles!”
With prize money of €30,000 Pace surged yet further ahead of Laura Davies in the race for the LET’s 2010 Henderson Money List (order of merit) with the trip next week to Jeju Island for the Korean Ladies Masters.
Sizhou Taihu Ladies Open leader board
