Australia

Anna Nordqvist wins Open, Minjee Lee falls just short of miracle comeback


Anna Nordqvist of Sweden has won her third major title with a one-shot victory at the Women’s British Open at Carnoustie.

Nordqvist tapped in for par at the last hole for a three-under 69 to finish on 12-under par for the tournament.

Meanwhile, another epic final round comeback from Minjee Lee came up just short, with the Australian finishing two shots back in a tie for fifth after carding the day’s best round, a six-under 66.

Nanna Koerstz Madsen (71) of Denmark was tied for the lead with Nordqvist heading down the 18th, but found a greenside bunker with her approach and made double bogey.

Lizette Salas (69), Georgia Hall (67) and Madelene Sagstrom (68) were tied for second place on 11 under.

Starting five shots back, Lee’s now-trademark final-day charge featured seven birdies, which briefly moved her into an outright lead, as six players battled for overall honours.

That comeback, so similar to the way she rallied from seven shots down at the Evian Championship last month, looked to set Lee up for a second-straight major.

Minjee Lee almost pulled off another miracle final round comeback.(

Getty Images: Andrew Redington

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However, a bogey on the 18th saw the West Australian finish on 10-under for the tournament — two shots behind Nordqvist in a tie for fifth.

“I didn’t really feel too much pressure, five shots off the lead, so I just tried to play as aggressively as I could,” said Lee.

Steph Kyriacou, Sydney’s impressive 20-year-old rookie of the year on the Ladies European Tour, also had a brilliant last day adventure, briefly even sharing a place atop the leaderboard after an eagle at the 12th to go with four earlier birdies.

Her amazing run ended with a bogey at the long 14th and, cruelly, her tee shot at the last flew out of bounds.

She finished with a double bogey that left her recording a 69, leaving her in joint-13th place at six under.

Melbourne’s Su Oh had been the best-placed Aussie going into the last round but her hopes ended at the sixth with a calamitous triple-bogey eight.

Oh went on to shoot a four-over 76 for a one-under finish, while compatriot Hannah Green also recorded a 76 en route to a two-over score for the week.

The 21-year-old Scot Louise Duncan, undoubtedly one of the stars of the week, ended with a par 72 to earn a tremendous top-10 finish and take the Smyth Salver as leading amateur.

World number one and Olympic champion Nelly Korda hit 72 to finish in a tie for 13th at 6-under.

ABC/wires



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