Colombian Maria Jose Uribe Duran held on to win by one shot from England’s Bronte Law in a thrilling final-round battle royale in the Women’s NSW Open at Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club.
Uribe, the overnight leader, could not catch a break in her opening nine holes; a couple of errant approach shots and a misbehaving putter did not help her cause.
Law, playing alongside, wasted no time reining in the leader, with three birdies in the first five holes. The pair could not be separated at the turn, and Law struck first with birdies on the 11th and 12th holes to establish a two-shot buffer.
Uribe, however, muscled her way back into the contest with a birdie on the 14th to regain the lead. The pair briefly found themselves tied at the top of the leaderboard on the 15th before Uribe buried a crucial birdie putt on the par-3 16th.
Law was not done, however, and a birdie on the penultimate hole from the Englishwoman meant the scene was set for a final-hole thriller.
Of course, the Colombian did not disappoint, rifling a wedge into about two metres. After Law missed her birdie, it was all but academic for the new champion, converting her birdie with an elated fist pump.
“I’m happy, really happy,” Uribe beamed after the win. “I said in my head that 15-under was the number this week, so that’s what I went out to do,”
“I thought it was going to be a shootout of birdies. I struggled today with my putting but I knew the birdies were out there.
“I know Bronte well; she’s a close friend, and I said to myself, I’m going to play good, and if I lose, then I’m OK with that.”
The win was Uribe’s first since 2011, with the 14-year LPGA veteran already calling this year her last on tour. Her final goal, however, is to make the Olympics, and with victory here, she believes she’s all but assured herself a plane ticket to Paris.
“I’m pretty sure, come Monday, this will clinch it, and I should be in Paris for now. My husband will be happy because I don’t have to do a crazy schedule anymore.”
Spain’s Marta Martin finished in third at nine-under-par after closing with a 70, while England’s Cara Gainer closed with a 69 to tie for fourth alongside a disappointed Peiying Tsai at eight-under.
Queensland amateur Justice Bosio kept herself within sight of the leaders for much of the day and at one point drew within two shots of the lead after holing a 50-foot monster on the 11th for a well-earned birdie. However, it was as close as she would get; bogeys on the 12th, 15th and 16th holes ending the 20-year-old’s quest for a first WPGA and LET title.
The defending champion, New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori closed with a final-round 69 to tie for eighth place at six-under-par.
