A dramatic finale at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France ends with Chiara Tamburlini becoming a two-time LET winner after a playoff victory over Kirsten Rudgeley, while Lauren Walsh finished tied for 12th.
Sara Byrne made three birdies and three bogeys enroute to a level-par 71 that saw her finish tied for 28th in her second LET start as a professional.
But at the business end of the leaderboard, it would come down to Tamburlini and Rudgeley who couldn’t be separated after 54 holes. With the pair locked at seven-under par it was back to the 18th hole at Golf Barriere where the Swiss rookie produced an excellent birdie after her Aussie opponent’s effort came up short.
“It was way too stressful!” she said afterwards. “Kirsten played so well today, especially on the back nine, she really lit it up and it was tough for me to keep up. The birdie on 17 in regular play was huge to keep up with her. And then the birdie on the playoff hole was incredible. I can’t really believe it right now. It all went so fast!”
Tamburlini started the day one shot clear of Annabel Dimmock with Rudgeley four shots behind in Deauville. A nervy start saw the Swiss star drop three shots on the front nine, however.
Three birdies in a row on the 8th, 9th, and 10th moved Tamburlini two clear before Rudgeley lit things up on the back nine making four birdies on the 11th, 12th, 15th and 16th to move into the lead.
Then, the shot of a champion. Tamburlini stiffing her approach on the par-3 17th to tie things up and force a playoff.
“To be honest the nerves were a lot worse from about 13 onwards,” she said. “13 to 18 were horrendous. I got so nervous. I didn’t have my best day out there. I needed to keep my game together and keep making birdies because that’s what the others were doing. It was a lot worse with the nerves in regulation. Walking down the playoff hole, I was just excited that I had made it that far.”
Onto the playoff at Golf Barriere and after splitting the fairway Tamburlini produced more magic almost holing her approach as it spun back to seven-feet. Rudgeley did well to hit the green after pulling her drive left but with the birdie effort coming up short, Tamburlini was able to hole her putt for victory.
“It was a rollercoaster day,” she continued. “I did not have my A-game. Especially at the beginning. I couldn’t make a putt but I just kept telling myself it’s not over until 18. It all worked out in the end.”
“The win builds my confidence because even though I played well, it was a fight this week. Things didn’t come that easy like when I won in Joburg. It felt like I was in a flow state there. It was really a grind this week so it’s great to see I can grind it out.”
Lacoste Ladies Open De France: How the other Irish Players Fared
Lauren Walsh
Walsh ended up finishing the tournament on -2, tied for 12th after posting a four-under 67, which included six birdies and two bogeys. Walsh struggled in the second round of the tournament, ending the day with a three-over 74. She recovered in the final round with a two-under 70. She's now six shots off the pace at the halfway mark.
Sara Byrne
Byrne shot a level-par 71 in her second LET start as a professional. She started the tournament with an inconsistent round with four birdies and four bogeys. In the final round, Byrne made three birdies and three bogeys to end the tournament on -1 overall, tied for 28th.
What’s Next for Lauren Walsh and Sara Byrne?
The 2024 Ladies European Tour season is nearing its end with only a handful of tournaments remaining. This finish will add to the confidence of both Walsh and Byrne as they strive to continue their successful golf careers. Both have been strong in recent tournaments and will look to carry their momentum forward as they play more rounds on the LET. Walsh is looking to continue her push towards an LPGA Tour card for 2025 and Byrne is hoping to continue making a good name for herself on the European tour. With their talent and dedication, both golfers are sure to achieve great things in the future.
