Mimi Rhodes claimed the NSW Women’s Open at Wollongong Golf Club. Photo: Golf NSW.
Britain’s Mimi Rhodes claimed her first professional win on the Ladies European Tour (LET) with a two-shot victory at the NSW Open at Wollongong Golf Club.
Rhodes, 24, built on her experience from three Curtis Cup appearances for Great Britain to secure the Jan Stephenson Trophy, finishing the tournament at -17 after a bogey-free final round of two-under.
She recorded 14 consecutive pars from the fifth hole to close out the win on Sunday (23 March).
Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz, a four-time LET winner, had an early surge with three birdies in the first five holes but paid for her aggressive style with a bogey on the seventh and a double bogey on the ninth, all but ending her challenge.
Italian Alessandra Fanali, coming off a career-best round of 64, closed within one shot after a birdie on the 17th but finished tied for second at -15 with Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley after a bogey on the last hole.
It was the first time Wollongong had hosted the prestigious $500,000 NSW Women’s Open championship.
After her win, Rhodes said she was “still in shock, but so happy”.
“I’ve worked really hard. I didn’t have a great week last week, so I wasn’t really expecting much,” she said.
“But I went through a bit of a swing change, and it obviously worked this week.
“I was fine for the front nine, but when it started to get tight, I got a bit stressed.
“I was asking my caddy how the group in front was doing and how many shots ahead I was. But I just kept breathing, stayed focused, and tried not to think ahead.
“It’s difficult in those situations, but yeah, I’m just really glad I got it done.”
Rhodes said her putting was a key factor in her performance.
“From the second round, my putting was really good and I placed the ball really nicely on the green,” she said.
“I didn’t even realise I hadn’t made a bogey in the last two rounds. I was just trying to stay calm and focused out there. I wasn’t putting too much extra attention on myself after the second round.”
Welsh golfer Darcey Harry recorded the round of the day, finishing at -5 for a total of -7, placing her in a tie for 14th. Switzerland’s Kim Metraux made the shot of the day with a hole-out on the 132-m 10th, while South Korea’s Hyojin Yang finished as the top amateur.
Click here to see the final placings.
Loading ...
