Emily Kristine Pedersen sealed her second career LET title at the 2020 Tipsport Czech Ladies Open at Beroun Golf Club, closing with a dramatic 80ft eagle putt on the 18th hole to win by four-shots at 17-under-par from Austria’s Christine Wolf.
The scores suggest it was a procession, it was anything but.
Starting the day six shots clear, Pedersen made an early bogey on the 4th hole and saw her lead evaporate by a further stroke by the 7th, as Italy’s Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso made a trio of birdies.
By the 12th it was down to three, as Austria’s Cristine Wolf came knocking.
Playing in the group ahead of Pedersen, Wolf was quietly making a charge, making birdies on the Nos. 5,6,7 and 12.
Pedersen steadied the ship with six successive pars from the turn but looked nervy as the rain fell on the back-nine as she tried to win her first title in five years and complete a successful three-week spell on the LET.
Another birdie on the 15th for Wolf and a bogey for Pedersen at 16 meant the lead was down to one, the closest anyone had been to the 24-year-old Dane since the back-nine on Friday.
Heading to the 17th tee with a one-shot lead, Pedersen showed her champion pedigree.
“I wasn’t thinking about the score until after 16 and I was told I was one ahead so the birdie at 17 was really crucial for me.”
Between a pitching wedge and a 9-iron. Pedersen opted for a ‘smashed pitching wedge’ due to adrenaline, hitting it to 10ft before calmly holing to restore a two-shot deficit and booming a drive down the par five 18th.
Faced with a 165m second shot over water, Pedersen could be forgiven for playing cautiously but after a word from her coach of ten years, David, she took on the risk.
“My coach said if you are laying up, we’re not working together anymore.”
Pedersen continued, “I want to be in a position where I am one behind and have a 6-iron in and I have the experience to hit the shot close under pressure. It’s what we have been practicing for.”
The icing on the cake, Pedersen not only hit the green but went on to drain the 80ft putt for a closing eagle and a four-shot victory.
“That was a bonus. It was a bit of luck holing one that far, but it was nice to hole it, I’ll definitely remember it.’
Overwhelmed with the emotion of what it means to be a winner on the LET again, Pedersen said,
“It feels good to be back, the last two to three years have been hard, I’ve had doubts about whether I would compete again and I am so happy my coach didn’t quit on me, my friends didn’t quit on me, my boyfriend and my family, because it’s been tough, I’ve been tough on myself and had to figure out what needed to be done. It feels so good to be back.”
Pedersen extends her lead at the top of the Race to Costa Del Sol and received a winner check for €30,000.
Austria’s Christine Wolf finished alone in second place after a bogey-free 67 while Finland’s Sanno Nuutinen finished with a brace of birdies to take solo third.
Fan favourite Klara Spilkova capped off a memorable week, finishing in T12 at seven-under-par as the top Czech player.
Commenting on the week, she said, “It’s always nice to play good golf at home, I’m proud of how I handled it and I’m happy that I was able to play well.”
“It was super nice having crowds out there and seeing my friends and family out on the course.”
