Gronberg Whitmore takes title

Sweden's Sofia Gronberg Whitmore became the first winner of the Cantor Fitzgerald Laura Davies Invitational with a thrilling play-off victory over England's Trish Johnson at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire.

Johnson looked set for victory as she surged through the field with a course record 65 - but her only bogey of the day at the 18th hole proved costly.

At the par five, she went for the green with her second shot. But she failed to make the carry over the water and a bogey six allowed Gronberg Whitmore to draw level.

The 34-year-old Swede, two behind with two to play, birdied the 17th from 10 feet and made a safe par at the last in a 69 and a birdie at the second extra hole - the 18th - secured the £45,000 first prize and her first Tour title since her maiden win in the 1989 Rome Classic.

Four behind at the start, Johnson surged to the turn in 29 - equalling the tour record - and had six birdies and an eagle at the third in the spectacular round.

"In retrospect, I should have laid up at the 18th," she said afterwards. "I am gutted, but I had been striking the ball so well and it was only bad shot. It was the wrong time to hit it."

Gronberg Whitmore had her English husband John acting as her caddie, and she was overcome with emotion after holing the final putt.

"It was a tough day," said the player who had set out one ahead and was in the match behind Johnson.

"I watched Trish leap up the scoreboard. But when I made birdie at the 17th I thought that perhaps someone was on my side. But I didn't know Trish had gone into the water until I reached the final green."

In her own event, Laura Davies closed with a 74 which left her in a tie for 13th place.

Collated final round scores and totals in the Cantor Fitzgerald Laura Davies Invitational, Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire (Gbr & Irl unless stated):

275 S Gronberg-Whitmore (Swe) 67 70 69 69 (£45,000), T Johnson 72 68 70 65 (£30,450) Gronberg Whitmore won play-off at second extra hole.

281 R Carriedo (Spa) 66 70 71 74 (£21,000)

283 K Marshall 70 73 73 67, S Gustafson (Swe) 71 72 69 71 (£14,460 each)

284 S Eriksson (Swe) 72 70 74 68

285 L Fairclough 75 72 67 71

286 J Mills (Aus) 74 73 70 72, K Pearce (Aus) 71 69 75 71, J Moodie 72 71 72 71, H Dobson 72 68 73 73, P Meunier Lebouc (Fra) 71 72 69

287 V van Ryckgehem (Bel) 73 68 75, L Davies 69 76 68 74

288 K Taylor 69 73 77 69, W Dicks 70 75 70 73, E Esterl (Ger) 69 69 72 78

289 S Cavalleri (Ita) 76 71 72 70, J Forbes 72 72 73 72, A Nicholas 72 73 72, M Lunn (Aus) 70 70 76 73, L Brooky (Nzl) 72 73 69 75

290 L Ericsson (Swe) 74 72 72 73, S Waugh (Aus) 74 67 76 73, L Maritz (Rsa) 74 69 73 74, S Mendiburu (Fra) 68 70 77 75

291 F Dassu (Ita) 73 74 74 70, I Tinning (Den) 75 71 74 71, J Morley 7275 73 71, L Navarro (Spa) 71 73 75 72, V Stensrud (Nor) 72 73 74 70, L Wen-Lin (Tai) 75 74 68 74

292 M-J Rouleau (Can) 75 70 73 74, L Lambert (Aus) 75 70 72 75, S Head 75 70 72 75

293 C Duffy 74 73 77 69, N Fink (Aut) 71 78 74 70, M Lojdahl (Swe) 70 72 75 76

294 J Head 75 73 72 74

295 R Lautens (Swi) 73 75 76 71, N Moult 78 68 75 74, B Pestana (Rsa) 71 75 73 76, K Lunn (Aus) 74 71 73 77

296 M Arruti (Spa) 70 77 76 73, S Dickens 74 73 75 74, P Wright 75 71 75 75, E Knuth (Spa) 73 75 71 77

297 S Prosser 76 70 78 73, S Elliot 77 71 77 72, C Hall 74 73 77 73, N Karlsson (Swe) 76 71 76 74, R Hakkarainen (Fin) 75 74 73 75, S Moon (USA) 73 74 74 76

298 L Dermott 75 72 76 75, S Eklund (Swe) 72 75 73 78

299 I Maconi (Ita) 75 72 77 75

300 M Bustrom (Swe) 72 75 76 77, T Craik 78 71 74 77

301 E Steen (Swe) 73 74 77 77, C Kuld (Den) 74 73 75 79, J Leary (Aus) 78 71 72 80

302 G Stewart 77 72 79 74, M de Boer (Ned) 73 73 77 79

306 R Kirkwood 71 77 76 82

307 J Stalvant (Swe) 73 76 77 81.