Kelsey Bennett finshes runner-up in Belgium
Kelsey Bennett during today’s play – image LET Mark Runnacles
New South Wales golfer, Kelsey Bennett, was unable to hold on to her 54-hole lead at the Hulencourt Women’s Open in Belgium, but she would finish alone in second place, recording her second runner-up finish of the season to go with her win earlier in the year in Australia.
Bennet established a two-shot lead through 54 holes over the eventual winner Carolina Chacarra, but Chacarra, whose brother Eugino has won two events on the DP World Tour this season, put together an almost faultless final round of 68 to Bennett’s 73, the Spaniard eventually winning by three over Bennett.
Bennett appeared to be losing grip on a winning chance when she fell three behind the Spaniard through 13 holes, but a chip-in for birdie at the 16th by Bennett reduced the margin to just one before Chacarra birdied the 17th and then parred the last to win by three.
Bennett remains in third position on the Ladies European Tour’s Order of Merit.
Kirsten Rudgeley of Perth finished in a share of 7th place, her fourth top ten of the season, moving her to 14th on the LET Order of Merit.
The LET will this week join forces with the LPGA for the playing of women’s golf’s fourth major of their season, the Amundi Evian Championship in France, where Sydney’s Grace Kim will defend the title she won so dramatically last year.
The Evian Championship carries prizemoney of US$9.1 million, with many of the LET Tour getting the chance to play for their biggest ever purse.
