(Wiener Neustadt, Austria – 29 May 2005) Federica Piovano from Italy snatched victory from France’s Gwladys Nocera with a dramatic eagle putt at the final hole to win the €250,000 Siemens Austrian Ladies Open Powered by EVN.
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| Federica Piovano – thrown into the lake by the 18th green |
“Finally this year, thanks to some girls and some work I did I got to a point where I know what I’m doing,” she said.
The crucial putt was tricky with the last two metres sloping down towards the surrounding water.
“I had to imagine that the hole was a metre shorter because I didn’t want to hit it too hard and go in the water or off the green.”
Throughout her round, Piovano sported a red Tee-shirt with the catchy slogan, “Impossible Is Nothing”, which she proved with her remarkable mental tenacity. She has just employed the services of the official LET sports psychologist Vicki Aitken.
“We started in Tenerife three or four weeks ago, and actually, I’m a great student!” she joked, confirming that victory was sweeter than her second round 62.
“To win is the best feeling. The tournament is over and you were the first – the best feeling,” she said.
Davies started the final day three shots behind Nocera alongside Prieto, but conceded that a few missed putts were her falling.
“I just didn’t putt very well today. I had my chances,” said Davies, who has 66 wins to her name with at least one in every year of her 20-year career.
“I missed a very short birdie putt on 12 and three putted 14 and that was it really. I was too far behind. I had to make the birdie there and certainly couldn’t afford a bogey on 13 and then 16. It was a bit disappointing really, I just made a stupid error there and it was all over by then. If you can’t win it just loses the excitement.
She predicted: “I think that birdie might get me third if someone eagles the last and then it’s a good few points for the Solheim.”
She now occupies second position in the official Solheim Cup rankings, while Piovano has climbed into fifteenth position.
We will see how that changes when the LET returns to Rome next week, to Sheraton Golf Parco de’ Medici, the golf course where Piovano started playing.
