This week sees the second tournament of the Ladies European Tour (LET) double header in Australia with the Women’s NSW Open.
After last week’s Australian Women’s Classic – Bonville, the Tour has headed north to Coolangatta & Tweed Heads Golf Club for the four-day tournament which is co-sanctioned with the WPGA Tour of Australasia.
Let’s take a look back at what happened in the previous three editions of the tournament.
2018 – MacLaren wins first LET title
Back in the first year, the tournament was co-sanctioned by the LET and it was England’s Meghan MacLaren who clinched her first win on the LET.
The then 23-year-old carded a level par final round to finish on 10-under-par at Coffs Harbour Golf Club and record her maiden win in her 11th event.
Speaking at the time, MacLaren said: “It feels incredible. I didn’t think those words would be coming out of my mouth so soon! All parts of my game were good. To go out there today and to still feel in control of my ball striking and all of that, it gave me a little bit of margin for error towards the end.
“I played well in the few events that I played last year, but you’ve got to be patient. It can take some players years before they get over the line. To do it now gives me a lot of confidence.”
2019 – Marvellous MacLaren seals second successive NSW Open title
One year later MacLaren returned to Australia and succeeded in successively defending her title recording a three-stroke victory at the Queanbeyan Golf Club.
The Englishwoman was the only player in the field to shoot four rounds under par and finished on a total of 12-under-par, three ahead of New Zealand’s Munchin Keh and Swede Lynn Carlsson.
MacLaren twice lost her lead during the final round, and it was a tense finish, but she finished eagle, par, birdie, under intense pressure to close out her second Ladies European Tour title.
“I wish I could play all of my golf in New South Wales,” said MacLaren. “It’s a bit of a weird one, because it’s not at the same course, so it almost doesn’t feel like the same tournament. It must be something about Australia and coming to the end of the whole trip.
“Last year was my first win and that was a big deal, and I don’t think anything can compare to that. You don’t want to be a one-win wonder. There was a bit more pressure this week, so to come through that feels amazing.”
2020 – Engström seals Women’s NSW Open crown
Julia Engström saved her best for last as she made a fantastic birdie two to win her first Ladies European Tour title at the Women’s New South Wales Open at Dubbo Golf Club.
The 18-year-old began the final round five strokes behind overnight leader Manon De Roey but put up a strong challenge, eventually drawing level with the leader after the Belgian bogeyed the 17th.
And on the final hole, Engström rifled a 5-iron from 176 metres to about two feet on the par-3 18th and holed her birdie putt to seal her first LET title.
“It’s been a great week and I’m just thrilled,” said Engström, the LET Rookie of the Year in 2017.
“I bogeyed 18 in all three previous rounds and I decided that this time, I was not going to bogey it and I hit a great shot and I didn’t realise how close it was until I heard the reaction from the crowd. It was amazing and a great finish to a great week.”
