Charley Hull Loses to Kylie Walker in Playoff at Ladies German Open

Aug 17, 2013; Parker, CO, USA; General view of eighteenth hole as Carlota Ciganda of team Europe putts for a birdie during the second round of the 2013 Solheim Cup at the Colorado Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Charley Hull, the LET’s intrepid teen star who’s been characterized by LET super-fan Annette Walker as “having worlds to conquer,” missed her attempt to overtake Scot Kylie Walker by a single stray drive into the trees in their playoff hole at the Ladies German Open presented by Marriott. Walker went into the final round at Worthsee Golf Club with a six stroke lead and ultimately held off Hull’s final round charge to earn her second LET championship. It’s getting to be a winning pattern for Walker, who claimed her first LET victory earlier this year at the Deloitte Ladies Open in a remarkably similar sudden-death playoff.

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Opening her final round at full throttle, Hull fired off a trio of birdies and cut Walker’s advantage to a single stroke when she scored a fourth birdie on the eighth hole. Then it became a back-and-forth match. An up and down for birdie from the bunker short and left of the ninth green saw Walker make the turn in level par 36 and she took a two stroke lead into the back nine.

Hull then birdied 12, but Walker pulled two clear with a birdie on 13. Walker bogeyed 14 and both players birdied 15, before Hull eventually drew level by making a five footer for birdie on the 17th hole.

With tension at a fevered pitch, both players missed birdie chances on the last hole and returned to the 18th tee to begin their playoff in a heavy shower. It didn’t last long. Hull hit her drive into trees and had to chip out. She then hit her third shot to within five feet of the flag but missed her par putt. Walker played without a misstep, was on the green for two and took a par.

Hull, who doesn’t dwell on missed shots and lost opportunities, took the disappointment on the chin and had this to say of her failed bid for the victory:

"I just blocked my tee shot on the last which was annoying but I hit a good shot in and a good putt. I’m quite happy. It’s been a long three weeks and I’m a bit tired now because I’ve been in contention all three weeks and especially with a major in the middle of it. To finish it off with a second place is not too bad."

Carlota Ciganda reacts sinking a birdie. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 German Open champion Carlota Ciganda fired a tournament low round 63 to end in solo third place on 23-under-par. Her round included eight birdies, a bogey on the par-5 sixth and an eagle on the par-5 12th hole. For Ciganda, it’s time to pack and get on an airplane to Baltimore. She’s playing next week on Spain’s team at the LPGA’s International Crown.

The LET travels next to the Czech Republic and the Sberbank Golf Masters, July 25-27. South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace, who’s dividing her time between LET and LPGA events and is finishing a close race with Laura Diaz at the LPGA’s Marathon Classic this afternoon will be in the field, as will Kylie Walker, Gwladys Nocera, whose strong finishes at the Lalla Meyrem Cup (solo 2nd), Turkish Airlines Ladies Open (T9) and the Ladies German Open (T4) suggest she’s due a win soon too. Hull’s taking the week off.

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