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Thursday, December 03, 2009


Krystle scores first professional win and

earns $15,000 in Dubai three-day pro-am

Krystle Caithness set the seal on an excellent rookie year on the Ladies European Tour by scoring her first win as a professional in Dubai today.
The Fifer, who will be 21 on January 21, won the first prize of US $15,000 with a 13-under-par total of 206 in the 54-hole Sheikh Maktoum Dubai Ladies pro-am over the Emirates Golf Club's Faldo course.
The prize money in this event does not count for the Ladies European Tour money table in which Krystle is inside the top 40 with earnings of 44,761 Euros from 14 events.
Joint overnight leader with England's Sophie Walker after they had shared a new course record of six-under-par 67 in the second round, Krystle continued to sparkle in the third round. She clinched victory with a tidy score of three-under-par 70, which gave her a three-stroke winning margin from Wales' Becky Brewerton.
The event was an official three day pro-am, organised by the Ladies European Tour as part of the build-up to next week's Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, which starts on Wednesday and rings down the curtain on the LET 2009 season.
Sophie Walker sagged to a closing 78 and finished joint third with Anja Monke (Germany) on 215.
"I couldn't have asked for better preparations ahead of next week's Omega Dubai Ladies Masters. I am feeling pretty good about my game," said Caithness, who moved with her parents from Cellardyke (to the south of St Andrews) to Cupar a year or so ago.
"I think the highlight of my round was a pitch on the 17th. I just couldn't see the flag, but still managed to hit a good shot from 40 yards very close to the pin," she said. "I am driving the ball and putting well. Let's see how things unfold next week," said the Scot who
played in the 2008 Curtis Cup match for GB&I against the United States over the Old Course, St Andrews where she learned to play golf.
Caithness started her last round with a bogey, but soon got back into her stride to pick up five birdies before dropping another shot on the par-3, 12th.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 219 (3x73)
206 Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 69 67 70
209 Becky Brewerton (Wales) 68 70 71
214 Anja Monke (Germany) 71 73 70, Sophie Walker (England) 69 67 78
215 Melissa Reid (England) 73 70 72
216 Lee-Anne Pace (South Africa) 73 70 73
217 Lora Fairclough (England) 73 70 74
218 Lotta Wahlin (Sweden) 72 76 70, Linda Wessberg (Sweden) 74 74 70, Margherita Rigon (Italy) 76 72 70, Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (France) 77 73 68, Maria Verchenova (Russia) 73 72 73, Carmen Alonso (Spain) 71 73 74, Florentyna Parker (England) 71 71 76, Breanne Alicia Loucks (Wales) 73 69 76.
219 Samantha Head (England) 73 75 71, Clare Queen (The Carrick at Cameron House) 74 73 72.
220 Marjet Van der Graaf (Netherlands) 74 74 72, Rebecca Coakley (Ireland) 70 74 76.
221 Kirsty S Taylor (England) 73 75 73, Karen Lunn (Australia) 73 75 73, Nina Reis (Sweden) 74 73 74, Ana Larraneta (Spain) 74 72 75.
222 Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 71 75 76.
Selected scores:
223 Vikki Laing (Scotland) 78 71 74, Trish Johnson (England) 74 75 74 (jt 25th).
225 Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) 75 74 76 (jt 30th).
227 Holly Aitchison (England) 70 77 80, Hazel Kavanagh (Ireland) 73 78 76 (jt 33rd).
229 Martina Gillen (Ireland) 76 73 80 (41st)
230 Georgina Simpson (England) 75 76 79 (jt 42nd).
236 Felicity Johnson (England) 78 74 84 (jt 51st).

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Krystle Caithness is a “Henderson Rookie,” meaning that she is one of three first-year tour players sponsored by Henderson Global Investors.The Henderson Rookies came to fruition in 2007 as part of Henderson’s Ladies European Tour sponsorship and this year’s trio comprises Anna Nordqvist (Sweden), Krystle Caithness and Christel Boeljon (Holland).
All three Henderson Rookies have now hoisted trophies in this, their first season on the LET. Nordqvist has won twice in her rookie year and lies in seventh on the Rolex Rankings, while Boeljon won the Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup in Spain in April representing the Netherlands.
Becky Brewerton was pleased with her game even though she did not win.
“Just one bogey in three days and, I think, that shows I am on top of my game. I did create good birdie opportunities, but couldn’t convert them. I will take this score — a nice way to start the week,” said the Welshwoman who played the first 46 holes of the tournament without dropping a shot.
The team of Dana Lacey of Austria and Nelly Amarnani carded a net 64 to win the Day Three Pro Am title, beating Maria Verchenova (Russia) and Raimund Legnar on a countback.
The team of Linda Wesberg (Sweden) and Hendrick Schoeman also shot a net 64 but had to settle for a third place on a countback.
Mohamed Juma Buamaim, vice chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi — the promoters and organisers of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters — and Alex Armas, executive director of Ladies European Tour, presented the prizes.
Final day Pro Am winners:
1 Dana Lacey of Austria and Nelly Amarnani net 64 (countback).
2 Maria Verchenova (Russia) and Raimund Legnar net 64.
3 Linda Wessberg (Sweden) and Hendrick Schoeman net 64.


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