Tvesa Malik of India and Sanaa Nuutinen (inset)
Switzerland, Sep 6: Tvesa Malik logged her career-best finish in an international pro event as she finished Tied-fourth at the Flumserberg Ladies Open at Gams-Werdenberg Golf Club, in Switzerland.
The 24-year-old Tvesa, whose previous best was Tied-sixth at the Hero Women’s Indian Open in 2019, shot a final round of two-under 70 in her first-ever Ladies European Tour Access Tour, the second rung circuit on the Ladies European Tour.
Tvesa totalled eight-under as Finland’s Sanna Nuutinen claimed her third career LETAS win in a thrilling sudden-death playoff from overnight leader Stina Resen, after the pair tied at 12-under-par.
India’s other player in the event, Diksha Dagar shot 77 in the final round to finish T-47th.
Tvesa, who had rounds of 69-69 on first two days, started on the tenth. But once again her start was wobbly as she bogeyed the 10th. She had begun with bogey on second hole on the first day and with a double bogey on second day.
Yet Tvesa fought back well once again. She birdied 14th, 18th and second and did not drop any more shots while putting on display some steady golf. It became all the more laudable as she pushed around the bag herself.
Tvesa and Diksha will stay on in Switzerland for next week’s VP Bank Ladies Open, a Euros 200,000 full field event on the Ladies European Tour.
Nuutinen started the day two shots behind and fell further adrift with back-to-back bogeys on the first two holes. Undeterred, the 27-year-old proceeded to put on a ball-striking masterclass in the sweltering conditions at Gams-Werdenberg Golf Club, making three consecutive birdies on Nos. 5,6 and 7 and 11,12 and 13 to draw level. With four holes to go, it was all to play for as the season’s opening tournament hung in the balance.
Approaching the par five 18th green, Nuutinen was faced with a 5-meter birdie putt to make the playoff.
In the playoff, both players took aggressive lines off the tee on the dog leg second hole, with Nuutinen’s three-wood leaving her only 47 meters to the pin versus Resen’s 80 meters.
Both players made it look easy to the onlooking spectators, hitting the green to around 9 feet, with Nuutinen set to go first from more or less the same position. Proving to be a quick learner, Nuutinen rolled home and Resen missed to claim the all-important victory.
As a result of the current COVID-19 restrictions, Nuutinen has no plans to celebrate immediately with friends but insisted she would in the coming weeks when she gets home.
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Tvesa Malik shoots three-under 69, lies fifth in Switzerland; Diksha cards 73
