Wales’s Amy Boulden produced a final round 64 to claim a debut win on the Ladies European Tour at the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open.
Her breakthrough victory came at the 87th attempt and saw the 27-year-old from Llandudno claim the €30,000 first prize with a 17-under-par total for 54 holes.
Bursting on to the scene in 2014 as LET ‘Rookie of the Year’, Boulden has struggled with form in recent years, failing to record a top-10 since 2017, but she certainly did not struggle today. Taking charge from the beginning, she looked in control all day at Golfpark Holzhäusern, as she immediately took a share of the lead with a birdie at the par-four 1st hole. Flagging her irons and holing putts from the start, the 2020 Q-School winner held a two-shot lead heading into the back-nine after a flawless 31 on the front, but it was not over yet.
LET rookie Steph Kyriacou was making a charge of her own, turning in 31, while Morroco’s Haddioui was alongside her after an opening nine of 33. Keeping them at arm’s length, the Welsh star birdied 10 and 11, as well as 13 and 14, to take a four-shot lead heading into the final stretch.
Holding her nerve, Boulden parred the remaining four holes to sign for a career-best 64 and finish the week at 17-under-par, after earlier rounds of 70 and 65.
“It’ll take some time to sink in, I’m thrilled to get that first LET win,” Boulden said. “I haven’t been in this position for quite a while, so I just tried to enjoy it. My goals this year were to put myself in to contention, I am really happy with how I handled the pressure and how I put my foot down on the gas when I needed to. I’m looking forward to playing more like this and being in these positions more often, this is where I want to be. Competing to win and I am looking forward to the next chapter.”
Australia’s Kyriacou upped the ante in the race for ‘Rookie of the Year’ spoils, finishing in solo 2nd at 14-under to get closer to the lead currently held by Alice Hewson. Switzerland’s Kim Metraux gave the home crowd plenty to cheer, making as many as five birdies in a row during her final round of 68 to finished the week in tied third.
The English pairing of Annabel Dimmock and Liz Jones tied for seventh, while Meghan Maclaren and Florentya Parker finished in a group of six players tied 18th.
Next up on the LET is the Lacoste Ladies Open De France at Golf Du Medoc, which gets under way on September 17.