Catriona Matthew wins Scandinavian TPC

BY iseekgolf.com | Ladies European Tour | 2007 Scandinavian TPC hosted by Annika | Round Four | 13 Aug 2007

Scotland’s Catriona Matthew claimed her fifth worldwide title with a three stroke victory at the Scandinavian TPC Hosted by Annika.

The 37-year-old from North Berwick posted a final round of four-under-par 68 to finish on nine-under 279 for the tournament – ahead of Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson and American Laura Diaz – to win her first professional title since the Wendy’s Championship for Children in 2004.

Matthew, who was playing in only her 14th start of the year after coming back from maternity in March, stormed into a comfortable lead after an astonishing start to her round.

She birdied four of the first five holes to take a five stroke lead on nine-under-par before a bogey on the sixth hole temporarily halted her progress.

Another bogey at the tenth saw the mother-of-one drop to within one shot of second-day leader Diaz, who made a charge with three birdies in a row from the ninth hole.

However Matthew pulled four strokes clear after back-to-back birdies at the 12th and 13th holes.

“Obviously I played really well. I got off to a good start,” said Matthew, who took six months off to have baby daughter Katie on 18th December.

“I hit the ball really well. I was a little bit shaky on 10 and pushed my second shot but the birdies on 12 and 13 settled me down and I had good chances coming in.

“It’s fantastic. I haven’t won in a couple of years and there’s a great field here this week so I’m just thankful to have won.”

Like Diaz, Gustafson also made a charge with three consecutive birdies to move to five-under-par for the tournament after 12 holes. Another birdie on the 16th contributed to a faultless 68 for the 21-time tournament winner.

Diaz, who had started the day three shots off the pace on two-under-par, also posted a 68, but it wasn’t enough to catch Matthew, who began the day tied for the lead with American Brittany Lincicome on five-under-par.

Lincicome, the 2007 Ginn Open champion, stuttered to a 76 and eventually finished eighth on one-under-par.

Sweden’s Maria Hjorth enhanced her chances of being selected for the European Solheim Cup Team with an excellent two-under-par 70 to take a share of third place on four-under with World number six Suzann Pettersen of Norway.

Barseback regular Louise Stahle finished tied-sixth on three-under-par, while compatriot Caroline Hedwall was the leading amateur in seventh position on two-under.

Host Annika Sorenstam put her difficult week behind her after carding a confidence-boosting four-under-par 68 to finish in ninth place on level par.

“Today was a little different in many ways,” said Sorenstam, who spent some time on the range with her coach Henri Reis following her 74 on Saturday. “I was able to hit some fairways and when you hit fairways you get birdie opportunities and I hit a few. A few putts make quite a difference.”

Following her ninth place, the former World Number One leapfrogged fellow Swede Linda Wessberg in the European Solheim Cup Team standings for the Team that will face the United States next month at Halmstad in Sweden. Sorenstam now takes fifth place, just inside the cut-off point for automatic selection.

Next week’s Wales Ladies Championship of Europe at Machynys Peninsula Golf Club in Llanelli is the final qualifying event for the European side.

Matthew, who beat Rosie Jones 3&1 in the singles to reclaim The Solheim Cup for Europe at Barseback in 2003, said she had been delighted to return to the scene of Europe’s triumph.

“I have some happy memories here,” she enthused. “I loved the greens – I have never holed so many putts. It just about felt like I was playing in Scotland, I had so much support.”

Matthew also paid tribute to tournament Sorenstam, whom the Scot described as ‘the best golfer ever’.

“To play in a tournament hosted by Annika is just fantastic,” she said.

Matthew earned a first prize of €78.750 and climbed 12 places to third on the LET’s New Star Money List following her win. She is also expected to climb from her 30th position in the Rolex World Rankings when the updated rankings are released on Monday.

Karen Lunn finished the best of the Australasians in 28th place at +7 followed by Lynn Brooky at +10 (T39). Leah Hart was T60 and Shani Waugh T65.

Source – LET