Ladies European Tour member Beatriz Recari from Spain became a Rolex First-Time Winner on the LPGA on Sunday when she shot a final-round, 2-under 70 to finish 14-under and win the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge at Blackhawk Country Club in Danville, California, by one shot over Gwladys Nocera.
Nocera of France, also a rookie on the LPGA, came to the 18th hole three shots down, but after she birdied and Recari bogeyed the 17th hole, the lead was one. Recari, needing par, avoided the water guarding the front of the green and two-putted for the win. Recari (68-66-70-70=274, -14) became the first rookie to win on the LPGA this year. She is also the first Spaniard to win on the LPGA since Marta Figueras-Dotti at the 1994 Cup Noodles Hawaiian Ladies Open.
“I saw that,” Recari said, when asked whether she knew she needed to par 18 to win. “I just had to put myself in position where I could have easy two putts, and I did, so I'm very, very proud.”
With the win, Recari moved from fifth to third in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race. With her solo second-place finish, Nocera moves to second. Nocera can still catch leader Azahara Munoz; Recari cannot.
Recari, the 2009 Finnair Masters champion, drew on a once-in-a-lifetime experience she had earlier this month when she rode in an IndyCar two-seater with motorsports legend Mario Andretti. Recari took a 200 mph ride with Andretti around Homestead – Miami Speedway prior to the IZOD IndCary Series’ last race of the 2010 season. “I felt like that was a great experience coming before this tournament because I believe I had so much adrenaline and then I just felt so calm when I was standing on the putt,” she said. “That was a crazy experience. I was very, very lucky or honoured to have such an experience.”
America’s Michelle Redman and another Frenchwoman, Karine Icher tied for third at the tournament.
