Agathe Laisne is a Ladies European Tour (LET) winner after overcoming a bunched leaderboard on a dramatic final day in Australia to win the Ford Women’s NSW Open.
The Frenchwoman followed up Saturday’s 64 (-7) with a 65 (-6) on Sunday to secure a one-shot victory over Thailand’s April Angurasaranee and Korean amateur Soomin Oh on 16-under par. This came after opening with rounds of 72-67 during a rain-hampered first couple of days.
Related: Hannah Reeves dominates packed leaderboard
“It feels really great,” Laisne said. “I’m really happy. It feels surreal and I’m very, very happy. What’s next? No, I’m kidding! [But this win] means that my game is improving and I’m doing the right thing. I hope to continue and I’m really happy.”
View this post on Instagram
Playing in the final group, Laisne’s two-shot deficit to overnight leader Hannah Reeves became three at the 1st when the Australian carded a birdie in front of her home fans.
The Frenchwoman responded with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd to move into an early share of the lead, however quickly found herself chasing for most of the afternoon as 17-year-old Oh went on a birdie bonanza carding eight in 11 holes from the 4th.
Despite birdies at the 8th and 9th, Laisne sat three back with six to play before carding an excellent eagle at the par-5 13th after reaching the green in two.
View this post on Instagram
The eagle proved to be a catalyst for the 26-year-old from Paris as she made a clutch birdie at the par-3 17th to get within one. This came moments after Oh dropped her second shot of the day at the 16th following a wayward tee-shot.
More drama followed at the 18th as Oh flew the back of the green with her third shot to squander another bogey. Angurasaranee meanwhile was unable to make a birdie to despite hitting another great approach – one of several close calls for the Thai star during the final round.
Laisne responded with nerves of steel coming down 18, splitting the fairway twice with her tee-shot and layup before hitting the green in regulation. She would two putt for a first LET victory as compatriot Emma Falcher and Czech Republic’s Sara Kouskova sprayed her with water.
“I didn’t know anything,” the Frenchwoman said on the scoring situation. “Nothing. I just tried to make as many birdies as I could. I felt the pressure because I knew people were around [the top], so it could have been me or could have been someone else. I didn’t know. So I tried to hit the best shots I could even with all the pressure I had.
“The eagle was awesome. I was hesitant between my 3-hybrid and my 4-wood, but I saw the wind was a little right to left and I could get there with a really good three hybrid. And when it hit, it went out of my club. I could feel like it was pretty good, but it needed a little bit more height and it did.”
View this post on Instagram
With the Ford Women’s NSW Open victory, Laisne adds an LET title to her one Epson Tour victory which came in 2023 and two LET Access Series (LETAS) wins which both came in 2020.
She also becomes the second LET winner of the season after Charley Hull won the PIF Saudi Ladies International.
In solo fourth finished English rookie Charlotte Heath on 13-under par. The LET debutant finished with a flurry at Wollongong Golf Club going six-under par for her final six holes.
View this post on Instagram
Australia’s Sarah Kemp, Germany’s Alexandra Försterling and England’s Caley McGinty – another rookie – finished the week T5 on 12-under par.
Eight players rounded off the top-10 in T8 on 11-under par including Australian amateur Amelia Harris.
