Ladies European Tour Member Nanna Koerstz Madsen from Denmark finished second as world number six Jang Ha-Na of Korea won the ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open by three shots at Royal Adelaide.
The reigning Tipsport Golf Masters champion, Madsen was one of few players around the third-round leader to hold her ground on the final day and her even-par 73 was eventually good enough for seven under and outright second position.
Of the Ladies European Tour Members in the field, the 2016 Order of Merit winner Beth Allen of the United States tied for seventh and Xi Yu Lin of China tied for 16th.
Wales’ Amy Boulden finished in a tie for 21st with fellow European Solheim Cup team hopefuls Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Carlota Ciganda and Caroline Hedwall tied for 24th alongside Australian Rebecca Artis.
Amelia Lewis, Azahara Munoz and Olafia Kristinsdottir tied for 30th. Recent LET Access Series graduate, Michele Thomson from Scotland, who returned an 81 in round three, had two birdies and four bogeys and finished in a share of 64th at six over.
Jang boldly predicted she’d finish at 10-under on Saturday evening; little did she realise it would be enough to lift the Patricia Bridges Bowl in the most dramatic circumstances.
In a rollercoaster final round during which no fewer than five players held or shared the lead, Jang unleased a closing salvo that will long be remembered by all in a huge gallery at Royal Adelaide.
The Korean hadn’t made a birdie in almost three hours on a day of trying, gusty winds as the overnight leaders imploded and left 17 people within three shots of the lead as birdies became a rare commodity.
But in a truly incredible final hour from the 13th hole, the effervescent 24-year-old from Seoul went birdie-birdie-par-par-eagle-birdie to close out a remarkable back-nine of 31 that simply left the field in her wake.
World No.2 Ariya Jutanugarn came from the clouds to momentarily lead, but a three-putt bogey on the 15th consigned her to a share of third at six under alongside defending champion Haru Nomura (73) and Australian pair Minjee Lee (70) and Sarah Jane Smith (75).
Third-round leader Lizette Salas had recovered from an early lapse and led by three shots as she strolled the 11th fairway until four bogeys in five holes reduced her to a 78 and a share of seventh.
