{"id":13522,"date":"2022-09-25T21:50:40","date_gmt":"2022-09-25T19:50:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ladiesingolf.com\/?p=13522"},"modified":"2022-09-25T21:50:40","modified_gmt":"2022-09-25T19:50:40","slug":"spilkova-clinches-playoff-victory-at-kpmg-womens-irish-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ladiesingolf.com\/en\/spilkova-clinches-playoff-victory-at-kpmg-womens-irish-open\/","title":{"rendered":"SPILKOVA CLINCHES PLAYOFF VICTORY AT KPMG WOMEN\u2019S IRISH OPEN"},"content":{"rendered":"

Photo: Mark Runnacles\/LET<\/em><\/p>\n

Klara Spilkova secured her second victory on the Ladies European Tour (LET) with a playoff win at the KPMG Women\u2019s Irish Open.<\/p>\n

The Czech star fired a final round of 67 (-5) to end the tournament on 14-under-par alongside Finland\u2019s Ursula Wikstrom and Denmark\u2019s Nicole Broch Estrup.<\/p>\n

At the end of play, the trio headed back down to 18 and it was Spilkova who rolled in her birdie putt to emerge as the champion at Dromoland Castle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just trying to stay patient out there because I started a little funny,\u201d said Spilkova. \u201cBut I just really believed in myself somehow and I kept saying to myself that it was there for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been a while since I\u2019ve won and I have been playing really good recently, so somehow, I was trying to convince myself that I could win today.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 27-year-old came into the day having recorded rounds of 66 (-6), 68 (-4) and 73 (+1) on her opening three days of the KPMG Women\u2019s Irish Open.<\/p>\n

And Spilkova had a tough start with two bogeys in her first five holes, but she also made three birdies to make the turn in 34 (-1).<\/p>\n

Back-to-back birdies on 10 and 11 saw the Czech player put herself right in the mix before another birdie on 16.<\/p>\n

A miraculous par-save from the edge of the water at 17 gave Spilkova the momentum and she finished her day with a birdie on 18 which at the time put her in the lead in the clubhouse.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to admit that yesterday was a bit of a struggle,\u201d she continued. \u201cOn eight and nine I made some bad swings, and I struggled throughout the back nine, I saved a lot of putts out there. Today it was a totally different approach, I felt much calmer even though of course I was a little nervous, but I felt much more grounded.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is definitely the best up-and-down I have made in my whole life, and I have been playing golf for 24 years! I got there and it was lying really nicely, and I could even put my club down because of the rule change.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought it wasn\u2019t too bad even though my legs were in there. It felt like I had no idea what was under the mud! I just thought I\u2019ll try and get it somewhere on the green because I thought I could and just make a two-putt for a bogey and I can still make a birdie on the last hole.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt ended up being almost a metre from the flag. It was really fortunate! I couldn\u2019t control that shot, it was luck and I\u2019m really grateful because it saved my whole day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spilkova has had fianc\u00e9 Sean on the bag with her all summer and getting the win in their final tournament of the year together made it all the more special.<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cMy fianc\u00e9 he was on the bag, and it was his last event this year. He has to go back to school, so I\u2019m really happy that we were able to do it because we\u2019ve been playing so well this summer together and we have a really nice connection out there and he\u2019s a great golfer. I\u2019m just so happy that we actually did it at this last tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a final round each of 68 (-4) for Finland\u2019s Wikstom and Denmark\u2019s Broch Estrup as they both secured a spot in the playoff.<\/p>\n

Both players had similar length birdie putts but they both left them just short of the hole and ended the tournament in a tie for second place.<\/p>\n

Wikstrom explained: \u201cI have been struggling with my putting and that was starting to work and I started to make some birdies. In some parts of the rounds, it was starting to work better, and I\u2019d say this week I had a pretty solid game with not many stupid mistakes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn that way it was easier, I still maybe need to go at it a bit more aggressively. I like Ireland and I had a nice local caddie who was helping me all week and taking care of everything. It was a fun week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Four players finished in a tie for fourth place with Denmark\u2019s Smilla Tarning Soenderby, Austria\u2019s Christine Wolf, Ireland\u2019s Leona Maguire and England\u2019s Annabel Dimmock.<\/p>\n

It was a solid end to the week for Solheim Cup star Maguire after a round of 68 (-4), while there were also 10,000 spectators at Dromoland Castle on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gave it my very best shot today especially on the back nine,\u201d the Irish star said. \u201cI was just a little bit too far back after Friday, but if you would have told me I\u2019d finish on 13-under-par on Friday night I would have taken it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere has been some great golf played. The Irish fans had a lot to cheer about this week, they\u2019ve come out in their droves, and I think the first KPMG Women\u2019s Irish Open in ten years has been a great success.\u201d\"\"<\/p>\n

Scotland\u2019s Laura Beveridge, England\u2019s Gabriella Cowley and Spain\u2019s Carmen Alonso<\/a> rounded out the top 10 finishing in T8 on 12-under-par.<\/p>\n

In the 2022 Race to Costa del Sol,<\/a> Linn Grant increased her lead at the top of the standings and has a 202.27 point lead over compatriot Maja Stark with fellow Swede Johanna Gustavsson in third place on 1,885.63 points.<\/p>\n

While KMPG Women\u2019s Irish Open champion Spilkova jumped up the rankings from 58th<\/sup> place and now sits 15th<\/sup> with 935 points from four LET events.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Photo: Mark Runnacles\/LET Klara Spilkova secured her second victory on the Ladies European Tour (LET) with a playoff win at the KPMG Women\u2019s Irish Open. The Czech star fired a final round of 67 (-5) to end the tournament on 14-under-par alongside Finland\u2019s Ursula Wikstrom and Denmark\u2019s Nicole Broch Estrup. At the end of play,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":13523,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[]},"categories":[45,893,864,881],"tags":[1282,3194,2988,2955,3195,3193,2062],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t