Golf - Scottish Open:Seven dropped shots in the closing four holes left Ireland's Rebecca Coakley wondering what might have been at the Ladies Scottish Open played at Archerfield Links.
The Carlow golfer had shot herself into prime position after reeling off no less than five birdies in 13 holes to lead by one shot on three under with five to play but disaster followed at the 15th.
A quadruple-bogey eight at the par four 15th began a rapid downward spiral as the untimely error was compounded with a double-bogey at the next plus a bogey at the 17th.
The 29-year-old managed to par the last but irreparable damage had been done by that stage despite her main challenger and eventual winner, Virginie Lagoutte-Clement from France, dropping three consecutive shots from the 14th.
Lagoutte-Clement signed for a closing 71 for a one over 217 winning aggregate, one shot ahead of English pair, Trish Johnson (75) and Sophie Walker (73), and South Africa's Lee-Anne Pace (70), who is also top the European money list (€218,530).
The 31-year-old, who won her last title at the 2006 Finnair Masters in Finland, felt that she was out of the title race after she came home with three bogeys in a row from the 14th. However the other competitors also suffered coming down the stretch in the windy and squally conditions.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. I’m so happy I don’t have the words to explain,” said Lagoutte-Clement, who was joined by her husband Sebastien, who is her caddie and her two-year-old daughter Victoria. “Normally I play badly on links. I’m happy to have battled my demons with the links.”
Coakley was leading the tournament on three under before her capitulation. The Team Ireland golfer signed for a disappointing 75 to drop back into a share of eighth place on four over at the East Lothian venue near North Berwick. “Obviously I’m disappointed but more with my luck,” said Coakley afterwards.
The winner picked up a cheque for €30,000 with the trio in second each receiving €15,033. Coakley still earned €4,740 but the pay day could have been so much better. She is still the highest ranked Irish player on the money list at 41st (€36,609).
First round leader Johnson had an opportunity to force a play-off with Lagoutte-Clement but bogeyed the final hole. Pace almost came from nowhere to sneak the win when she shot the back nine in five under 31, but three dropped shots on the way outward half ultimately cost her.
Ireland's Martina Gillen was also competing in the select 60-player field but finished well down the field on 19 over after a final round 81.
The €200,000 Scottish event was a late addition to the Ladies European Tour (LET) schedule and as such is played more as a pro-am event where an amateur plays alongside their professional partner.