Pro Golf Now
Fansided

Céline Herbin Wins Lacoste Ladies Open in a Playoff

By Elizabeth Bethel

facebooktwitterreddit

View image | gettyimages.com

Defending champion Azahara Munoz just couldn’t answer the power of the French players in the field this week at Golf de Chantaco in St Jean-de-Luz.

The final round of the Lacoste Ladies Open included aces by Joanna Klatten and Valentine Derry; and Céline Herbin — who was originally schedule to play the Symetra Tour USA El Dorado Shootout but changed her schedule in order to compete on home soil — emerged victorious over LET rookie standout and contender for 2015 Rookie of the Year Emily Pedersen in a playoff.

Klatten opened her final round with a first hole ace using an 8-iron while earlier in the day Derrey made a hole in one at the fifth.  Here’s Klatten’s shot:

Adding these two aces to Fiona Puyo’s 12th hole ace on the 12th, also with an 8-iron, three French players made a hole in one this week!

Herbin and Pedersen began the final round tied for the lead on 11 under par but Pedersen built an early five stroke lead after Herbin dropped three shots in the first eight holes, with four bogeys against one birdie.

Little by little, the 32-year-old from Avranches reeled in the young Dane with birdies on the 10th, 14th and 15th holes. Pedersen then bogeyed 16 and double bogeyed 17 to drop back into a share of the lead on 11 under par. After the pair both made par on 18, they returned to the tee three more times.

Herbin knew she faced a huge challenge as she made the turn.

"“Obviously I didn’t make the best first nine holes but I believed in myself and knew I could turn it around. Emily was playing very well but we knew that she could get very nervous on the last few holes so I knew I had to fight until the last hole – until hole 75!”"

The “we” Herbin referenced was her coach and caddie Vicente Ballesteros, the brother of Seve.

Pedersen was in contention throughout the Lacoste Ladies Open and, like Herbin, she was on the hunt for her first pro victory.  It was a tough runner-up finish for her.

"“I’m obviously very disappointed but I’m sure when I look back on the week I will be proud of my performance. I hope that this experience will make me a stronger and better player in the future.”"

Of course I’m happy with third place.

On down the leaderboard, Dane Malene Jorgensen ended two strokes back on nine under par to record her second third place finish in three tournaments following the Helsingborg Open. We’ll see more of Jorgensen at the top of the board.

England’s Charley Hull, who seems always to enjoy her performance, ended alone in fourth place on eight under par after final round of 67 and summed it up this way: “I’m pretty chuffed with a fourth place finish after a good three weeks. I played well at Evian, had a good last week and good this week so I’m pretty happy and I can’t wait to go to Ibiza.”

Home town player Anne-Lise Caudal from Saint-Jean-de-Luz also recorded a 67 and finished sixth on six under par, while the champion for the last two years, Azahara Munoz, ended with a disappointing 72 to share seventh place on five under with Pamela Pretswell, Klara Spilkova and United States Solheim Cup winner Cristie Kerr.

The Ladies European Tour goes next to Xiamen Golf and Country Club for the Xiamen International Ladies Open, October 8-11 to kick off the Tour’s fall Asian swing.

Next: Getting Golf-Fit: Not All Exercise is Good

More from Pro Golf Now

Home/Ladies European Tour