Rebecca Hudson Seals Victory At Houghton

Rebecca Hudson frequently pulls out her seven-wood against the long hitters on the Ladies European Tour. Little wonder then that the Englishwoman relied on her trusty companion to guarantee her victory in the Chase to the Investec Cup at Houghton Golf Club.

Needing par at the closing hole to win, Hudson’s well-loved club got her safely on the green in two. She lagged a 60 foot putt very close and became the first international Sunshine Ladies Tour winner since the Tour launched in 2014 when she tidied up for an even-par 72.

A four-time Ladies European Tour champion and former SA Women’s Open winner, Hudson was quite emotional after defeating local hopes Stacy Bregman and Ashleigh Simon by one stroke a winning score of four-under-par 212.

“I’m just glad that I didn’t know I would become the first international winner before I hit that first putt, because it never would have come out so well,” Hudson said.

“I used to come out to South Africa all the time and I was really disappointed when the Tour disbanded some years ago. When I heard about the new Sunshine Ladies Tour last year, I came out and I knew I would be back this year.''

Hudson started the final round in the lead at four under after earlier rounds of 71 and 69. The 36-year-old Wheatley golfer had a one shot cushion over Swiss amateur Azelia Meichtry, had a two stroke lead over Simon and started three shots ahead of Bregman.

Her round featured four birdies and four bogeys and despite she came under attack from Meichtry and the SA pair, Hudson never relinquished the lead.

“It feels brilliant to lift a trophy again. Last year Kirsty Fisher, who also competes on the Ladies European Tour, travelled with me to South Africa. She couldn’t come out earlier, but it’s going to be a lot of fun to shove this lovely silver plate under her nose when she gets here on Friday. She has some catching up to do.”

Credit- Ladies European Tour