German duo Polly Mack and Alexandra Försterling tied for the top at the Ladies European Tour’s Qualifying School at La Manga Club in Spain, which saw 24 players earn category 12 playing rights on Europe’s top tour for women golfers for the 2023 season.

Försterling, who led after round four, has got to know La Manga Club pretty well after progressing through the European Pre-Qualifier held at the same venue last week. The 23-year-old produced a round of level par on the South Course with three birdies and three bogeys to secure LET playing rights for 2023 with a 15 under par total.

She explained: “I feel really good! I’m a little annoyed about 18, where I missed a short putt to win outright, but that’s how it is some times. All in all, if someone would have told me before that I would have finished here, I wouldn’t have believed them. It’s really nice. It means a lot to get my LET card. I’m extremely excited for next season and I can’t wait to get started!”

A final round of 71 saw Mack draw alongside her compatriot, after she rolled in four birdies and two bogeys in Spain. It has been a busy end to the year for the 23-year-old, who secured both her LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour cards for 2023 in December.

“It feels great,” said Mack. “These last couple of week couldn’t have turned out any better and I’m honestly just really really happy with this outcome and going into the off-season with this feeling is really nice. It means a lot to get the LET status. I am German and it’s nice to have both and have the options and more opportunities. I’m really looking forward to 2023, I think it’s going to be exciting.”

French amateur Nastasia Nadaud rounded off her excellent week with a 71 on the final day to finish in third, with Slovenia’s Ana Belac ended the tournament in fourth place after firing the a low round of the day 67, which included an eagle on 18, to be finish on 13-under.

Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab was fifth on 11-under, while Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela finished in a share of sixth place alongside Austria’s Emma Spitz with Australia’s Gabriela Ruffels in outright eighth place. Rounding out the top 10 on six-under-par were Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley and England’s Annabel Dimmock, with Germany’s Sophie Hausmann and Sweden’s Emma Nilsson in T11.

Czechia’s Tereza Melecka, who also carded a 67 (-6) on the final day, ended T13 with Norway’s Maiken Bing Paulsen plus Swiss amateur Tiffany Arafi and Danish amateur Amalie Leth-Nissen.

Spain’s Paz Marfa Sans finished in a share of 17th  on three-under alongside Sweden’s Linnea Johansson, Germany’s Aline Krauter, Norway’s Madelene Stavnar, Wales’ Lee-Anne Bramwell, Scotland’s Louise Duncan, Japan’s Yuri Onishi and Italy’s Alessandra Fanali.

Should they wish to accept and take up LET membership, a total of 24 players secured Category 12 membership for 2023 while 28 players clinched Category 16 membership.

Check out the full final results from the Final Qualifier here.

Source link