Dublin’s Anna Foster maintained her her third-round form in the fourth and final round of the Hero Women’s Indian Open as the Elm Park member posted a three-under-par 69 on Sunday to end her weeks work in tied seventh place at two-under-par.
Foster began slowly with a bogey on the par-4 second hole but quickly settled herself with a couple of birdies to close out the front nine at one-under. Another birdie came at the par-4 11th before another bogey on the 14th.
The 24-year-old replied in perfect fashion, making birdie on the 15th before making another on the last to earn herself 100 Order of Merit points and jump up to 40th in the rankings.
Armagh’s Annabel Wilson failed to post an under-par round as the 24-year-old succumbed to two double bogeys to post a one-over-par final round and finish in a tie for 30th at seven-over. Wilson is bound to be disappointed but will take some confidence from the four birdies she also made around DLF Golf and Country Club.
Wilson now sits 79th in the Order of Merit rankings.
Cork’s Sara Byrne meanwhile, posted a one-over-par final round to finish T34 on eight-over. Byrne still sits outside the desired top 60 in the rankings (currently 62nd) and will need to find some form in the remaining three events if she is to retain full status next year.
A poor finish for Canice Screene saw her drop down the leaderboard as she posted a six-over-par final round to finish T50 at 13-over. Screene struggled to find form as the 24-year-old made four bogeys and a double on the last to post 78.
At the top of the leaderboard Shannon Tan clinched her third Ladies European Tour (LET) title in dramatic fashion after firing a round of five-under to win by one stroke at seven-under.
The 21-year-old began the day seven strokes behind 54-hole leader Hitaashee Bakshi but as she walked down 18, Tan sat just one stroke behind leader Alice Hewson of England.
Tan hit the range in preparation for a playoff, but it wasn’t needed as Hewson made a double bogey at the last meaning Tan walked away with the victory.
“I looked at the leaderboard on 15 and saw I was two back. I know the last few holes here at DLF can be challenging, so I thought I’d just stick to the game plan and keep trying to give myself chances and hope those chances drop. I was playing my own game regardless of what happens,” said Tan, who now tops the Order of Merit rankings.
England’s Hewson finished in solo second place on six-under-par after a final round of 72.
“It was just one loose drive on 18, which unfortunately led to a double bogey, but I couldn’t be happier for Shannon. If you can’t win yourself, it’s always good when you see one of your mates win out here too,” said Hewson.
India’s Bakshi, who led after the second round, ended the week in outright third place on five-under-par, her best-ever finish on the LET.
The LET now has a one-week break before it returns for the Wistron Ladies Open taking place at Sunrise Golf and Country Club from 23-26 October.
Leaderboard.
