(A Coruña, Spain May 30 2004) Stephanie Arricau from France won her maiden title on the Robe di Kappa Ladies European Tour and the €41,250 first prize at the Union Fenosa Open de España Femenino Xacobeo 2004 by beating New Zealander Gina Scott at the first extra hole after a thrilling Sunday afternoon at Club de Golf La Coruña in Galicia produced a plethora of birdies and very nearly an almost classical French farce of a finish.
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| Arricau – five birdies in six holes |
Arricau had no more than three feet uphill for the win, but the ball slipped by on the left for a double bogey and echoes of Jean Van de Velde’s classic 1999 Open Championship farce were whispered in the gallery.
But where Arricau’s male compatriots Van de Velde and also Thomas Levet in the 2002 Open Championship, failed to take the opportunity in playoff’s, Arricau did. At the first extra hole, it would be Scott’s turn to miss a short putt as the Frenchwoman safely negotiated the tricky closing hole in par for her maiden victory.
“I was feeling really good after those birdies and I remembered that Jean-Luis Guepy had seven birdies in a row and I was trying to equal that,” said Arricau, who was soaked by bottled water by her fellow French Ladies European Tourists after the win.
“I was comfortable all the way in, but at the final hole, I just played the second shot too quickly and it was not a good shot. But I thought that I could just get it on, make bogey and I would still win.
“But now I’ve done it, I’m really happy, but I couldn’t believe the other players soaked me with water – it should have been champagne!”
