Walsh 18th in final LET Order of Merit as Ciganda win Spanish Open
Lauren Walsh is watched by Women’s Irish Open champion Annabel Dimmock during the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open de España presented by OYSHO, Real Club Guadalhorce Golf, Malaga. Credit: Tristan Jones / LET
Kildare rookie Lauren Walsh finished an impressive 18th in the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit as Spain’s Carlota Ciganda claimed a one-stroke victory in the season-ending Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España.
The Carton House touring professional (24) couldn’t notch her fifth top-10 finish of the season as a she closed with a one-over 73 to tie for 16th on seven-under at Real Club Guadalhorce Golf to earn €12,133 and take her season’s winnings to €121,385.
But she joins Sara Byrne in this week’s five-round LPGA Q-Series in Alabama playing well and looking to finish in the top 25 and ties who will be awarded LPGA cards.
Victory in Malaga went to Spanish Solheim Cup star Ciganda, who overcame a slow start and shot 71 to win her eighth LET title by one stroke from Belgium’s Manon De Roey on 18-under.
“I’m very happy to win here in Spain in front of so many people and my family, it’s always great to play here. I love Spain and it’s always very special,” said Ciganda.
“It wasn’t easy, sometimes when you have a four-shot lead it’s not easy. I haven’t been up there in a while, so I had some adrenaline going on and started with a couple of bogeys and Manon played really good on the front nine, so we were pretty tight those first few holes.
“I fought hard and I love when we are right there, I love to hit good shots, so I made a really good birdie on 14 and the putt on 17 was great too. I’m really happy to win here in Spain.”
Ciganda held a four-shot lead overnight but it was a rocky start to final day for the Spanish star as she made two bogeys in her opening three holes at Real Club Guadalhorce Golf.
Carlota Ciganda of Spain poses with the trophy following her win in the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open de España presented by OYSHO, Real Club Guadalhorce Golf, Malaga. Credit: Tristan Jones / LET
After the first four holes, her overnight lead evaporated with back-to-back birdies from Belgium’s Manon De Roey as the duo battled it out.
The Spaniard made her first birdies of the day on the fifth and added another on the seventh to have a one-shot lead over the Belgian, who also birdied the seventh hole.
On the back nine, Ciganda made a clutch approach shot and putt after finding the water on 10 to walk away with a par but De Roey drew level on -17 with a three-foot birdie on the 12th hole.
However, on 14 the Spanish star went back in front with a short birdie putt of her own and extended her advantage to two shots with a birdie on 17 and although she made a bogey at the last, she won with a total of 18-under-par.
Ciganda continued: “I fought really hard, I am a fighter. I try to give my 100% every time I play golf and that’s what I tried to do. It was a good day for me, but I just want to congratulate Manon because she did great.
“Especially on second shots, I thought if I give myself good chances on the last few holes and hole a couple of putts. She played amazing, I know she’s going to LPGA Q-School next week, so I wish her best of luck.
“I saw Vincente from Finca Cortesin at the 17th and it reminded me of Solheim Cup in 2023, it was a very similar yardage and it was the same club – an 8-iron – so I thought I’m going to hit a great shot here, try to make that putt and make that birdie because it was the same type of hole.”
Belgium’s De Roey put up a great fight on the final day firing a bogey-free round of 68 (-4) to finish in outright second place on the leaderboard.
“I knew I had to make a lot of birdies today, I got off to a good start and she [Carlota] didn’t start that well,” said the two-time LET winner.
“It was up and down the whole round; I got really close. I’m very happy with how I played, I played bogey-free again and didn’t really make any mistakes. I’m still really happy.
“The crowds were applauding for me which was nice, and I think there were some Belgians in there as well. It’s great playing with Carlota, she made some unbelievable up-and-downs today. I enjoyed it.”
India’s Pranavi Urs recorded her best-ever finish on the LET with a solo third place after a final round of 69 (-3) in Malaga.
Carlota Ciganda of Spain celebrates her win in the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open de España presented by OYSHO, Real Club Guadalhorce Golf, Malaga. Credit: Tristan Jones / LET
The 21-year-old began with a birdie on the first and then a bogey on the second, but rolled in further birdies on the sixth, seventh, 10thand 12th holes to finish the week on 14-under-par.
Urs said: “I couldn’t have asked for a better week! Well, I could if I had won, but I was close yesterday until the 13th hole. I know where I can potentially be and how well I can play under pressure. I think I handled that situation pretty well yesterday, so it was a good week overall.”
Germany’s Helen Briem ended the week in fourth place on 13-under-par, Spain’s Andrea Revuelta finished as top amateur in T5 on 12-under-par alongside Germany’s Patricia Isabel Schmidt.
France’s Agathe Sauzon, England’s Annabel Dimmock and Slovenia’s Pia Babnik were one shot further back on 11-under-par in T7 with England’s Hannah Screen rounding out the top 10 on 10-under.
In the LET Order of Merit, the top three in the rankings finished as Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini with 2,718.44 points, Belgium’s Manon De Roey with 2,216.21 points and England’s Charley Hull with 1,742 points.
Ciganda jumped from 81st up to 28th in the rankings with France’s Celine Herbin securing the crucial 70th spot in the Order of Merit to keep her full LET card for 2025.
On the DP World Tour, Q-School graduate Ryggs Johnston made a dream start to his professional career when he won the ISPS HANDA Australian Open in just his second start to clinch a place in The Open at Royal Portrush.
The American (24) closed with a four-under 68 at Kingston Heath to win by three shots on 18 under par from Curtis Luck, who joined his Australian compatriot Marc Leishman in securing a spot in The Open.
"It hasn't quite sunk in yet, but it's an amazing feeling," said Montana native Johnston, who came through last month's DP World Tour Qualifying School in Spain.
“I've got a lot of messages from friends back home saying the whole town is watching.”
Luck, a former Asia-Pacific Amateur and US Amateur champion, will make his first appearance in The Open after finishing second on 15-under after a 68.
He will be joined at Royal Portrush by 2015 Open runner-up Leishman, who tied for third with compatriot Jasper Stubbs on 14-under but claimed the last qualifying place courtesy of his higher world ranking.
In the Australian Women’s Open, Korea’s Jiyai Shin shot a three-under 70 to win by two shots from defending champion Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa on 17-under.
On Saturday, Korea’s Simon Seungmin Lee secured the Australian All Abilities Championship title on his G4D Tour debut as Dundalks’ Brendan Lawlor finished sixth.
