It was probably not the Abba soundtrack Linda Wessberg had in mind. For the last couple of weeks, Swedish golfers on Scottish soil have been bouncing to the strains of the winner takes it all as Alex Noren and Henrik Stenson both conquered on the links. Yesterday, Wessberg met her Waterloo. And if we shove any more ropey musical references into this introduction we’ll probably have to start paying royalties.
In the end it was France’s Isabelle Boineau who captured the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open at Dundonald Links after long-time leader Wessberg leaked a shot on the 17th and then missed a four-footer on the last to force a play-off as her hopes of completing a triple whammy of Swedish successes in the home of golf evaporated in the Ayrshire murk.
Boineau held her nerve in an extremely nail-nibbling conclusion to affairs and holed a knee-knocker for par on the last in a four-under 68 to beat Wessberg to the £62,000 top prize by a stroke with an 11-under 205 and land her first tour title.
It was something of a redemption for Boineau. Almost a decade ago as a teenage amateur, she was pipped to the Duke of York Young Champions title at Dundonald after a late wobble on the treacherous final hole. “I was leading then and got a bit scared of the water, made a poor approach and ended up finishing second,” recalled the 27-year-old who gave herself work to do on the par-5 18th yesterday with a jittery pitch across the burn which came up short of the green. “When I got to the 18th today I was shaking with nerves and was telling myself ‘don’t do the same as you did back then’.”
Boineau and Wessberg had both been trailing overnight leader Becky Morgan by three shots heading into the final round but as the Welsh frontrunner stumbled early on, Wessberg swiftly assumed command.
The 36-year-old reeled off birdies at the second and third before rolling in a monstrous eagle putt of some 50-feet on the fifth to vault into the lead.
Having established a solid perch, Wessberg looked composed and in charge despite the menacing advances of others on a dull, wet day that was pretty dismal but still decent for scoring with very little wind and inviting, receptive greens. Wessberg’s fellow Swede, Caroline Hedwall, showed just what could be achieved as she came barging up the order with a course-record 64 which included five birdies on her last seven holes and left her in fifth on a 208.
Edinburgh-based Californian Beth Allen also mounted a final day charge with a 67 for 207 but it was a case of what might have been in an eventful finale. Allen lipped out for par on 16, holed a 60-footer across the green for birdie on 17 to stay in the hunt and then watched in gasping anguish as her birdie putt on the last teetered on the edge of the hole but didn’t topple in. Allen eventually finished third, just two shots off top spot.
Behind Allen on the course, Wessberg was still defending her position and a brave putt for par on the 16th looked to be decisive. There would be a twist in the tale, though. Wessberg spilled her first shot of the round on 17 while, on the same hole, Boineau trundled in a 10-footer for birdie to move into the lead. It was uncharted territory for her. “I’ve never been in that position before,” said Boineau, who has been on the tour for three years. “When I was doing the chasing I felt ok, but once I got in the lead I was very, very nervous.”
She showed it too but her putting stood firm – she required only 26 in the final round – and after Wessberg kissed the cup with her make-or-break putt on 18, Boineau made her par to seal the victory.
Vikki Laing finished as the best of the Scots after a closing 67 left her in 11th place on a four-under 212.
The 35-year-old has taken a part-time job in a pub to help bolster the bank balance but it’s rounds of golf she’d prefer to be serving up as her limited schedule continues to frustrate. “Having played pretty well here I’m just desperate to keep going but I won’t play now again for six weeks,” said Laing, who just missed out on earning a place in this week’s Women’s British Open.
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