France’s Valentine Derrey claimed her first win on the Ladies European Tour with a two-shot victory in the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open at National Golf Club in Antalya.
The 26-year-old from Paris carded a final round of three-under 70 in hot and breezy conditions to end on a three-round total of seven under par, with Denmark’s Malene Jorgensen second on five under after a closing 73.
After sealing the win and being sprayed in champagne by her French friends on tour, Derrey said: “It’s awesome! Finally! Last year I finished on the podium three times so I’m finally the winner.”
She had four birdies and one bogey in the final round and caught overnight leader Klara Spilkova at seven-under after making a long breaking putt for birdie on the 13th green.
She finished with five steady pars to claim her second professional title, after winning the Tate & Lyle Championship on the US Symetra Tour in 2011.
“I wasn’t thinking about when my next victory would come. I tried to do my best and keep believing I could win,” continued the fourth-year LET member.
“I just learned to keep patient and play my own game and that’s what I’ve been working on mentally. It’s a really nice course. I think it’s tough and you have to play target golf and really focus on yourself and your own game. For my part, I can’t really go for par fives.”
Despite a shaky start, with a bogey on the first and a double on the third, Jorgensen recovered with three birdies on holes four, six and 16. She said: “I had a bad start but a level par round was perfect for me so I’m so happy right now. I made birdie on 16 and I’m so happy because I made a double bogey there yesterday. I’m looking forward to having a week off and then going to Holland.”
England’s Charley Hull made a late charge for a second straight LET victory when she birdied the 14th and 15th, but she bogeyed the par-3 16th after hitting her ball to the left of the green and had to settle for third place on four-under after a 72.
Hull said: “My putting was not very good the past couple of days but I’m happy with the way I’m hitting it. I holed a few good putts towards the end. Top three is not too bad but when you win, nothing feels as good as that so I just want to keep winning now.
“I thought I made a good comeback towards the end of the round but it’s a shame I couldn’t make a birdie on the 16th. I hit a good tee shot but a poor chip and took a bogey there.”
Scotland’s Vikki Laing had been second overnight but carded a three-over 76 to finish joint fourth with Russian Maria Balikoeva, who had a 72.
Czech teenager Klara Spilkova took a one-shot lead into the final round and was briefly four clear after birdies on the second and third, but a closing 78 left her in a tie for sixth with England’s Sophie Walker on two-under-par.
Further down the leader board, Mathilda Cappeliez of France, who will celebrate her 16th birthday on Tuesday, was the leading amateur in a share of 45th place and hopes to play in more LET events in the future.
Final Collated Scores:
212 – Valentine Derrey (FRA) 73 69 70
214 – Malene Jorgensen (DEN) 68 73 73
215 – Charley Hull (ENG) 70 73 72
216 – Maria Balikoeva (RUS) 74 70 72, Vikki Laing (SCO) 71 69 76
217 – Sophie Walker (ENG) 75 70 72, Klara Spilkova (CZE) 69 70 78
218 – Sophie Giquel-bettan (FRA) 76 71 71
219 – Holly Clyburn (ENG) 74 71 74, Alexandra Vilatte (FRA) 74 73 72, Gwladys Nocera (FRA) 68 79 72, Nikki Campbell (AUS) 72 72 75, Stephanie Na (AUS) 74 73 72, Noora Tamminen (FIN) 72 74 73
220 – Titiya Plucksataporn (THA) 76 71 73, Felicity Johnson (ENG) 75 74 71, Krista Bakker (FIN) 71 72 77, Nicole Broch Larsen (DEN) 71 74 75
221 – Julie Greciet (FRA) 76 71 74, Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA) 73 73 75, Beth Allen (USA) 76 72 73
222 – Sally Watson (SCO) 74 72 76, Rebecca Codd (IRL) 73 75 74, Kylie Walker (SCO) 76 70 76, Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER) 73 72 77, Jade Schaeffer (FRA) 74 72 76, Ursula Wikstrom (FIN) 72 75 75, Mikaela Parmlid (SWE) 69 80 73, Florentyna Parker (ENG) 72 75 75
