France’s Karine Icher bounced back from the disappointment of last week’s
Compaq Open to win the €22,500 first prize in the Palmerston Ladies German
Open with a dramatic finish at the Sporting Club Berlin Faldo course.
The 22-year-old from Châteauroux became the third Tour rookie to win
this year firing a final round 69 for a six under total to for a one shot victory
over second round leader and fellow rookie Suzann Pettersen from Norway, who returned
a level par 72.
England’s Nicola Moult carded a three under 69 to move into third place,
her joint career best finish, and five players tied on two under, Germany’s
Elisabeth Esterl, Holland’s Mette Hageman, New Zealander Gina Scott, Spain’s
Marina Arruti, who fired a new course record 66, and promising German
amateur Martina Eberl.
Pettersen, leading by one shot overnight was confident heading into the final
round, saying that “nobody is going to beat me around this course
tomorrow,” after her second round 67.
But the 20-year-old from Oslo got off to the worst possible start with a double
bogey at the opening hole on Sunday, giving Icher the lead.
Pettersen, winner of the French Open in June, bounced back with a birdie at
the fourth to level, and took a two shot lead when she birdied the seventh as
the Frenchwoman bogeyed the eighth.
Moult, playing in the same group, got into the hunt with a trio of birdies
from the fifth to eighth in search of her maiden win on Tour. But string of missed
chances saw her par in, leaving her at four under.
Pettersen’s lead was reduced to one by the turn when Icher rolled in a
45 foot birdie putt at the ninth, and added another birdie at the 12th, hitting
a nine iron to 18 feet, setting the stage for a thrilling finish.
The Norwegian took the lead once more with a birdie at the 14th, but Icher,
who has had four top tens this year, rallied as she fired a 6 iron to three feet
at the tricky par three 17th to draw level.
And it would be Pettersen who would crumble at the final hole when she drove
into the right hand fairway bunker from the tee, as Icher found the middle of
the fairway.
Forced to play out sideways, Pettersen could only play her third to 25 feet
and saw the tournament slip from her grasp as Icher fired a seven iron to 12 feet
and safely two putt for her first Tour win.
“I am so happy now,” said Icher after her disappointment of losing
out last week when a slow play penalty ultimately cost her the title, won by Spain’s
Raquel Carriedo.
“This week, I tried to play a bit faster and it seemed to work.
“I didn’t play well on the front nine, but I was glad to get it going
on the back nine – I never gave up. I was trying to regulate the pressure
coming down the stretch this week, I was so disappointed after last week at Compaq,
so it’s really nice to win so soon after.”
Pettersen was distraught after her round, but was adamant that she meant what
she said on Saturday night.
“No, I don’t regret it,” said Pettersen, who won the World amateur
championship on this course last year and does all of her off season practice
here.
“I had a really good feeling all week as I know this course so well, and
when it came down to the last hole, I missed one shot – that’s it.”
“I was close again, that’s all I can say. Karine is a great player
and she played better than me today and it’s great for her to win at last,
she deserves it.”
And two course records were set in the final round when Spain’s Marina
Arruti bounced back from a shoulder injury last week to post a six under par 66
with seven birdies and a solitary bogey. Matching that was Sweden’s Lisa
Hed, who carded eight birdies and two dropped shots.
With Icher winning, it leaves the Bill Johnson Rookie of the year race wide
open with two counting events left to play, the Ladies Irish Open and the Mexx
Sport Open in Holland.
Pettersen, leading Icher by 1526 points on the order of merit, is taking next
week off, which leaves the Frenchwoman and Spain’s Paula Marti the chance
to close the gap in what is sure to be an exciting finish to see who is top newcomer.
