Lauren Walsh’s hopes of a final day charge at the Tenerife Open never came to fruition as she was forced to settle for a share of fourteenth place on four-under.
Walsh carded a final round of 72 to finish five shots behind eventual winner Sara Kouskova who captured her second successive Ladies European Tour victory.
Having claimed the Jabra Ladies Open a fortnight ago, Kouskova carded a final round 71 (-1) at Abama Golf to see off German Helen Briem and clinch trophy number two of the season.
“It’s amazing,” the Czech star said, who claimed victory with a winning score of nine-under par. “I think I’m still on the 18th green processing it. To do it twice in a row, like this, I’m speechless.”
One clear heading into the final round, Kouskova got off to the hottest of starts birdying her opening two holes in Tenerife to move into a three-shot lead.
As Patricia Isabel Schmidt made a surge elsewhere – the German birdied five of her first six holes at Abama Golf – Kouskova added another birdie at the par-5 6th before dropping a shot at the scenic par-3 7th.
But after the turn the Czech star quickly stormed clear, Kouskova firing brilliant birdies at the 10th and 11th to give herself a four-shot lead over Schmidt, Briem and Emma Spitz.
Four shots would soon become five as her rivals faltered before a dramatic finish ensued. A bogey at the 15th moved Kouskova to 11-under par, with the 25-year-old making a nightmare double-bogey on the 16th after her approach pitched behind a palm tree.
One hole ahead, Briem made a two-putt birdie on the short par-5 17th to narrow the gap to just one. But as the sun shone brightly on Abama Golf, Kouskova held her nerve making back-to-back pars to seal the one-shot victory.
“I didn’t think I hit that bad of a shot on 16,” the Olympian said. “But anything can happen on this golf course. It rolled down so hill so it was very tough. It’s not easy on this course so I’m glad it’s over now!“
“Jakub [my partner and caddie] did such a great job at calming me. He kept things light and in the moment. We just kept laughing which is exactly what I needed to see it out. It was hard to not see the scoreboards, they were everywhere! But I tried to stay present.
With the victory, Kouskova joins compatriots Klara Davidson Spilkova and Jana Melichova as the only Czech players to win twice on the LET. She also follows Mimi Rhodes‘ lead in securing back-to-back victories in 2025.
In the Order of Merit, Kouskova also jumps to second position, 192.92 points behind leader Rhodes who finished T20 in Tenerife.
“I’m very proud of myself and my team,” she said. “It’s going so well and we’re doing a great job. It reassures everything we’re working on. I’m so happy and it can’t get much better than doing it in Tenerife. I mean, just look at the views. It’s been such great tournament and I’m so grateful.”
With Briem finishing second on eight-under par, the trio of Spitz, Noora Komulainen and home favourite Ana Pelaez Trivino ended the week in a tie for third on seven-under par. The finish is Komulainen’s best on the LET after 180 starts.
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