Ladies European Tour Life Member Liselotte Neumann earned her career third victory on The Legends Tour on Sunday when she edged Juli Inkster by one stroke to win the Red Nose Day Walgreens Charity Championship presented by Hallmark.
Neumann, the first European Solheim Cup team Captain to win on U.S. soil in 2013 in Colorado, carded a 4-under 68 in Sunday’s only round of play following a day of torrential rain that cancelled Saturday’s opening round. The relentless day of heavy rain soaked the Gary Player Course at Geneva National Resort on Saturday, rendering the course unplayable and reducing the 36-hole championship to an 18-hole sprint.
Neumann got off to a solid start with two birdies on her first three holes, but the Swede lost ground when she missed short putts to bogey three consecutive holes. She got back on track with birdies on holes No. 8 and 10, before draining a 75-foot putt for eagle on the par-5 14th hole, and adding a birdie on No. 15 to ultimately secure the win.
“I never really looked at the leader board,” said Neumann, who now lives in the desert of Southern California. “Juli always plays well and I knew I was one or two shots ahead of her, so I figured any time you’re beating Juli Inkster, you are probably in a pretty good position.”
Inkster, who carded a 3-under 69, was tied early in her round at 2-under par with clubhouse leader Cindy Figg-Currier. The Hall of Famer added a birdie on No. 14, missed a par putt for bogey at No. 17, but the Californian countered with a five-foot birdie putt on the final hole to finish one behind Neumann. A win would have given Inkster her fourth victory at Walgreens-sponsored Legends Tour events.
Wisconsin’s spring weather tested the players in the event. Temperatures dropped into the mid-40s as rain pummelled the field on Saturday.
Inkster’s birdie on the 18th hole put pressure on Neumann, who knew all too well what the victorious 2015 US Solheim Cup Captain was capable of doing when she was in contention for a tournament win.
“She made her short birdie putt [on the last hole] and now I had a pretty long par putt,” said Neumann. “I just said, ‘You’re going to have to make this one,’ and I did. I didn’t want to go back out there because it was so cold. I guess I made it a little too exciting at the end.”
Figg-Currier finished third at 2-under 70, while the group of Brandie Burton, Laura Davies, Wendy Doolan, Moira Dunn-Bohls and Lorie Kane tied for fourth at 1-under 71.
Australia’s Jan Stephenson won the Legends Honors Division (for players age 63 and over) with a score of even-par 72. Sandra Palmer finished second at 3-over 75.
For complete results, click here.
