Article Courtesy of Ladies European Tour
EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS (7th June 2009) -- Spain's Tania Elosegui overcame a two stroke deficit to win the ABN AMRO Ladies Open by a shot at Eindhovensche Golf Club in the Netherlands.
A final round of 69 gave her a nine-under-par total with Italy's Diana Luna second and Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord two shots back in third.
The richly-deserved victory was the first of the 27-year-old Spaniard's four-year career on the Ladies European Tour. It followed five runner-up finishes, including her most recent to England's Laura Davies at the Women's Australian Open in February.
"I feel very, very happy because five times I've finished second already," she said.
Elosegui clinched the win by nailing a two-and-a-half metre birdie putt on the last hole.
"Once she (Luna) holed her putt I told myself, "You have hole this: you're not going to finish second again."
The 36-hole leader Luna carded a final round of 72 and was tied with Elosegui after 53 holes, but she hit her second shot into the front right greenside bunker on 18. Despite an excellent sand save, the 2004 Tenerife Ladies Open champion was forced to settle for second.
Skarpnord, the recent Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open champion, was five shots back coming into Sunday's final round and put pressure on the leaders. However she didn't capitalise on all of her chances.
Welsh star Becky Brewerton, who was tied for 16th place overnight, carded a 66 which tied for the best score of the day with England's Rebecca Hudson. Brewerton shared fourth place with fellow former Solheim Cup star Iben Tinning from Denmark.
"I played really well. I had lots of chances," said the 2007 English Open winner, who saw her new coach Stewart Craig earlier in the week.
"I think if I could have birdied the two par fives on the back nine, which I definitely had a chance to do, I did think I was in with a chance of winning. It's nice just to have a good week and get some confidence back again."
The in-form French star Jade Schaeffer, who claimed her maiden tour win a fortnight ago in Germany, finished joint sixth on four-under 212 along with Italian Veronica Zorzi.
Hudson, who won twice on the LET last year, in Tenerife and England, finished one shot further back in equal eighth with Italian Stefania Croce and Virginie Lagoutte-Clement of France.
Titiya Plucksataporn, the first round leader from Thailand, slipped back into a share of 23rd on one-over after a final round of 77.
Marieke Nivard was the leading amateur in equal 14th and was the best placed player from the Netherlands.
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