Ladies European Tour rookie Alexandra Försterling collected her second title in two months with a five-shot win in the Mallorca Ladies Golf Open at Golf Son Muntaner.
The 23 year-old from Berlin, Germany, carded rounds of 69, 67 and 67 for a 54-hole total of 203, 13-under-par and an emphatic five-stroke victory over fellow rookie Trichat Cheenglab from Thailand.
Anne van Dam finished a shot further back in solo third place, with Caroline Hedwall and Marta Sanz Barrio tied for fourth. Second round leader Chloe Williams shared sixth with first-round leader, friend of Dubai Kristyna Napoleaova and Lee-Anne Pace.
Försterling becomes only the second player to earn two victories on Tour this season, having won the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open in September. The only other player who has won twice on the LET this year is world No.3, Céline Boutier, from France.
“I can’t believe it. I still can’t believe that I won in Switzerland and now here. It just feels great,” said Försterling.
“I played really good today and didn’t make many mistakes. I saved a couple of shots and it was just perfect,’ added Försterling who made five birdies in a blemish-free final round.
“I was definitely nervous. The first couple of holes I was like, calm down, breathe, you know and then again towards the end. Winning in Switzerland definitely helped me and being in the position a couple of times helps. You get used to handling your emotions.”
Starting the day one stroke behind Williams, Försterling made a steady start parring her first two holes. Williams bogeyed the short second, dropping into a tie for the lead.
Försterling then birdied the third to take the advantage. Williams replied with her own birdie on the next hole, sinking a putt from 11 yards. The Welshwoman then double-bogeyed the seventh to fall two behind. Försterling birdied the long seventh to reach 10-under-par and stretch her lead to three strokes. Williams birdied the eighth to get within two of the lead but promptly double bogeyed the ninth handing Försterling a three-stroke lead through the turn.
Another birdie for Försterling, on the 11th, opened a four-stroke advantage and there was drama on the 12th when Försterling’s approach shot hit the pole and ran 55 feet from the flag. She holed the putt for birdie, as Cheenglab made her own monster putt on the 14th green.
Försterling birdied the 15th and finished with three straight pars to seal the victory in front of the gallery, including her mother and former football World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger.
With her win, Försterling earned 500 points and moves from 17th to fifth on the Race to Costa del Sol and from third to first on the Rookie of the Year Rankings.
With her second-place finish, Cheenglab earned 320 points and moves to the top of the Race to Costa del Sol Ranking.
The LET remains in Spain for next week’s Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de España, the final event on the 2023 Race to Costa del Sol.
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The top five players, who all have a chance to win the Race, are now Cheenglab, Boutier, Diksha Dagar, Johanna Gustavsson and Försterling, who would need to win the last event to have a chance at the Race title.
Final Results
(6,140 Yards, Par 72)
A. Fosterling (Ger) 69. 67. 67. 203.
T. Cheenglab (Thai) 72. 69. 67. 208.
A. Van Dam (Ned) 68. 73. 68. 209.
C. Hedwall (Swe) 72. 69. 69. 210.
M. Sainz Barrio (Spain) 71. 68. 71. 210.
K. Napoleaova (Czech) 66. 72. 73. 211.
L-A. Pace (RSA) 70. 69. 72. 211.
C. Williams (Wal) 70. 65. 76. 211.