It took five extra holes to separate Agathe Laisne and Kirsten Rudgeley at the Joburg Ladies Open as the Frenchwoman won a marathon playoff to claim her second Ladies European Tour (LET) victory of the season.
After the duo were locked on 19-under par with South Africa’s Casandra Alexander following 72 holes, it was back to the 18th hole for sudden death action at Randpark Golf Club.
On the first playoff hole, Alexander – the home favourite who bogeyed the final hole in regulation for a 66 (-7) – was unable to match Laisne and Rudgeley’s birdies at the par-5 18th.
The pair returned to the tee on three more occasions matching one another’s scores as darkness set in. On the third playoff hole, Rudgeley, still chasing a maiden LET win, missed a seven-foot birdie for the victory.
With one more hole of light remaining, the 18th was shortened to a 78-yard pitch as the playoff intensified once more. Laisne dialled one in to 10-feet, rolling in the birdie to pile the pressure on the Australian once more. Rudgeley’s eight-foot effort would shave the hole giving Laisne a second victory in two months after she won the Ford Women’s NSW Open in Australia.
“It was so stressful!” Laisne said after winning the marathon. “There were lots of holes but I’m glad it ended on a good note for me. Me and my caddie [Kelton Fourie] had some riddles to get through the playoff. That was fun! I have been in a playoff before on the LET Access Series (LETAS), but that was only one hole, so this was very different. I had to dig deep and reset myself every time on 18.
“I came second in Australia [at the Women’s Australian Open] and I really didn’t like it, so I really wanted to win this time. I’m very happy.”
In regulation play, Laisne trailed compatriots Camille Chevalier and Celine Herbin by one-shot heading into the final round. It was Alexander who set the pace on home turf playing 13 holes in seven-under par to storm into a three-shot lead. This included two eagles in the first four holes.
On the par-5 14th, the turning point came for Laisne as she rolled in a 75-foot eagle putt to get back to within two shots of the lead.
“I think on 14, I saw the leaderboard and saw the leader was on 19-under par,” the Frenchwoman said. “I thought to myself, now it’s time to make some birdies. I wasn’t going to let it get away. I made a great eagle which put me back on track.”
After Alexander had moved to 20-under par, a dramatic break ensued as the horn sounded due to the threat of thunder and lightning in Johannesburg. This came with the South African over the back of the 18th in two and Laisne on the 16th green.
With play resuming following an hour’s delay, Alexander bogeyed the final hole opening the door for Laisne and Rudgeley who trailed by one-shot with two holes remaining. Laisne dialled in beauty at the par-3 17th for a tap-in birdie before Rudgeley birdied the par-5 18th to set up the playoff.
The dramatic victory moves Laisne to the top of the LET Order of Merit on 1,297.50 points. She overtakes Alexander who now sits second on 1,107.65 points following the playoff defeat.
In solo fourth at the Joburg Ladies Open finished Herbin on 16-under par. England’s Cara Gainer and Slovenia’s Pia Babnik finished the week in a tie for fifth on 15-under. Sweden’s Kajsa Arwefjall ended the week in seventh on 14-under par.
Next up on the LET is a trip to Cape Town for the Investec SA Women’s Open. You can keep up with all the action from the tournament on our socials – @LETgolf on Instagram and X and Ladies European Tour on Facebook and YouTube.
