COULTER LOSES PLAYOFF
Beth Coulter has had an amazing start to her professional career on the LET Access Series Tour winning the Irish Challenge last week and now a runner-up spot after a controversy filled three-way playoff in the CSK Steel Women’s Open at the Himmerland Resort in Denmark
Sweden’s Moa Svedenskiold, 22, clinched her second LET Access Series title winning on the fourth sudden-death hole of the playoff.
Starting the day nine shots behind overnight leader Tereza Zapletal Kozeluhova, Svedenskiold carded a three-under 69 to finish at five-over for the tournament to enter a playoff with Beth Coulter, who shot a 75 and German amateur Lena Geier who also shot a 75.
On the first playoff hole Geier dropped out making a bogey while Svedenskiold and Coulter made par.
Controversy then struck on the second playoff hole. Svedenskiold thought she had won after making par from getting up and down from thick rough beside the greenside bunker, while Coulter missed her par putt.
Coulter proceeded to pick up her ball, thinking the playoff was over, and players began mobbing Svedenskiold on the 18th green in celebration.
Yet 10 minutes later, Svedenskiold was informed by a rules official that she had been assessed a two-stroke penalty for unlawfully building a stance in the bunker, which meant she made double bogey.
But because Coulter did not finish out, she was assessed a one stroke penalty and was made to replace her ball on the green before also tapping in for double bogey to send the playoff into a third hole after much confusion.
Svedenskiold then sent her drive on the third playoff hole into the hazard area, but hit a good approach shot and two-putted to save bogey. Coulter did not capitalise also making bogey.
The roles were reversed on the fourth playoff hole as this time Coulter sent her drive into the hazard area and Svedenskiold found the fairway bunker.
Settling her nerves, the Swede managed to dig herself to within 20 metres of the hole before hitting a superb chip shot and tapping in for par and the win as Coulter made bogey.
Photos: 1. Coulter by Let Access.