Dame Laura Davies delivered a stunning performance to give the inaugural US Senior Women's Open a runaway first champion as she crushed the field by 10 strokes at Chicago Golf Club.
Dame Laura Davies delivered a stunning performance to give the inaugural US Senior Women's Open a runaway first champion as she crushed the field by 10 strokes at Chicago Golf Club.
Five shots clear of her closest challenger Juli Inkster overnight, Davies had said that the tournament was hers to win or lose but she made sure there would be no last-day stumble with two birdies in her first four holes before closing with a bogey-free, five-under 68.
On a sun-splashed day in Illinois, Davies overpowered the par-five holes with birdies on all five of them and capitalised on her exquisite iron game while making key putts whenever she needed to as she posted a 16-under total of 276.
It was the 85th professional victory worldwide for the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member, and one that she will certainly treasure because of her all-round dominance after starting the week as a pre-tournament favorite alongside Inkster.
Five strokes behind overnight and eight adrift after just four holes on Sunday, Inkster trimmed Davies' lead to six shots with a near tap-in for birdie at the par-four ninth but she was repeatedly betrayed by her putter after the turn and had to settle for second place at six-under after returning a level-par 73.
Trish Johnson, the third member of the final grouping on Sunday who won last year's inaugural Senior LPGA Championship, finished a further two strokes back after a matching 73.
Back in the UK, Lynx staff were glued to TVs and the internet as their player Davies scooped the inaugural event, with Lynx co-owner and CFO, Stephanie Zinser, saying:
“We are absolutely over the moon and so pleased for Laura who has been great to work with since joining us. We sent her our warmest congratulations – it’s so exciting for Lynx to get this kind of success so early into our relaunch in the USA.
“The exposure she has gained Lynx during the US Senior Women’s Open has been incredible – her course record 66 on Saturday got the whole of golf talking as she rolled back the years with a majestic display.”
Added Stephanie: “With our other recent signing, Trish Johnson, also in the hunt and finishing third this has been an incredible few days for Lynx and it proves that our clubs can be held up against up the very best and win.”
Throughout the week, Davies had been telling media how she hits the ball about the same distance now, at age 54, as she did 20 years ago, because of the technological improvements in club-making.
Image: Getty Images
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