Words: Release/Paul Prendergast
Photo: Mark Wilson – Golfplus Media.
| English rookie Mimi Rhodes put together an impressive display of front running golf, including a run of 14 consecutive pars on a breezy final day at the Wollongong Golf Club, to triumph at the Ford Women’s NSW Open. Starting the day with a one-shot lead over Italy’s Alessandra Fanali, Rhodes defied nerves in just her fourth Ladies European Tour (LET) start with a 2-under 69 final round to reach 17-under to claim the final leg of the WPGA Tour of Australasia co-sanctioned swing. “I mean, it really hasn’t sunk in yet … still in shock,” Rhodes said. “I’m so happy. I didn’t have a great week last week so I wasn’t really expecting much.” “I went through a bit of a swing change and it’s obviously paid off this week” In what shaped as a head-to-head tussle in the final group, Fanali’s final day charge in front of hoards of local spectators was partially stalled by a cold putter however, the Italian would continue to challenge Rhodes to the bitter end and eventually signed for a 70 to finish in a share of second with Kirsten Rudgeley (68). West Australian Rudgeley had made a strong start to her final-round challenge with two birdies in five holes but ultimately was undone by bogeys at the seventh and 10th, while Sara Kouskova of the Czech Republic was fourth alone. “I mean it’s golf like I keep saying, but no, I can’t be disappointed with the way I played. I played really well,” Rudgeley said. Adding to the theatre of the final day was Switzerland’s Kim Metraux, who holed her tee shot for a hole-in-one at the par-three 10th, on her way to a share of 5th place alongside Sweden’s Moe Folke and the Spanish duo of Blanca Fernandez and Nuria Iturrioz. A standout amateur who played college golf at Wake Forest University and was a member of Junior Ryder Cup and Curtis Cup teams, the trip to Australia had been a frustrating one for Rhodes until heading south of Sydney. Like all of the travelling players, the disappointment of the cancellation of the Australian WPGA Championship meant some temporary displacement, before Rhodes missed the cut at the Australian Women’s Classic in Coffs Harbour. Her change of fortune in Wollongong lead the 23-year-old, who put a slight swing tweak in place this week, to a change of heart about the prospect of future visits Down Under. “Honestly, before this week someone asked me if I’m coming back next year and I said no, but I’m definitely going to change that answer to yes,” Rhodes said. “I’ll definitely be back next year for sure.” It wasn’t all plain sailing on Sunday for Rhodes, who impressed with early birdies to extend her lead while showing no outward signs of the nerves to the chasing pack. “I was definitely still very nervous, but I’ve learned to deal with these situations. I’ve been working a lot on breathing and being able to concentrate in the present and stay focused and it really helped out there obviously,” she said. After the birdie at the fourth, Rhodes went on a 14-hole par streak as birdie putts lipped out and she saved pars with her short game, most impressively at the 17th when leading by two over Fanali. With the Italian in close with a look at birdie that she would ultimately convert, Rhodes left her tee shot short of the downhill par-3. Her magnificent chip released and nearly caught a piece of the hole, leaving Rhodes the shortest of tap-ins to setup a walk down the 72nd hole with a one shot lead. That walk got a little easier when Fanali pulled her tee shot left, requiring a penalty drop, allowing Rhodes the relative comfort of two putts to win for a first LET title that arrived much earlier than she had anticipated after coming through Qualifying School last year. “Nope, not at all. I wasn’t expecting any of it and I’m just glad it went my way,” she said when asked if she expected a win so soon. The 23-year-old was planning celebrations in Sydney before a quick trip home to the UK and then a return to the Southern Hemisphere in week for the South African swing of LET events. “I’m dropping her (Lily May Humphries) at the airport and spending the night with family friends in Sydney. So maybe we’ll have some champagne. They don’t drink, but I’ll be drinking and, and then my flight home tomorrow, I’ll definitely have a glass of champagne on the plane as well.” |
