LAISNÉ LANDS FIRST LET TITLE, DONEGAN TOP 20
Agathe Laisné of France after winning the Ford Women's New South Wales Open, Wollongong Golf Club.(Photo: Tristan Jones/ LET)
Agathe Laisné is a Ladies European Tour (LET) winner after overcoming a bunched leaderboard on a dramatic final day in Australia to win the Ford Women’s NSW Open.
The Frenchwoman followed up Saturday’s 64 (-7) with a 65 (-6) on Sunday to secure a one-shot victory over Thailand’s April Angurasaranee and Korean amateur Soomin Oh on 16-under par. This came after opening with rounds of 72-67 during a rain-hampered first couple of days.
“It feels really great,” Laisne said. “I’m really happy. It feels surreal and I’m very, very happy. What’s next? No, I’m kidding! [But this win] means that my game is improving and I’m doing the right thing. I hope to continue and I’m really happy.”
Playing in the final group, Laisne’s two-shot deficit to overnight leader Hannah Reeves became three at the 1st when the Australian carded a birdie in front of her home fans.
The Frenchwoman responded with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd to move into an early share of the lead, however quickly found herself chasing for most of the afternoon as 17-year-old Oh went on a birdie bonanza carding eight in 11 holes from the 4th.
Despite birdies at the 8th and 9th, Laisne sat three back with six to play before carding an excellent eagle at the par-5 13th after reaching the green in two.
The eagle proved to be a catalyst for the 26-year-old from Paris as she made a clutch birdie at the par-3 17th to get within one. This came moments after Oh dropped her second shot of the day at the 16th following a wayward tee-shot.
More drama followed at the 18th as Oh flew the back of the green with her third shot to squander another bogey. Angurasaranee meanwhile was unable to make a birdie to despite hitting another great approach – one of several close calls for the Thai star during the final round.
Laisne responded with nerves of steel coming down 18, splitting the fairway twice with her tee-shot and layup before hitting the green in regulation. She would two putt for a first LET victory as compatriot Emma Falcher and Czech Republic’s Sara Kouskova sprayed her with water.
“I didn’t know anything,” the Frenchwoman said on the scoring situation. “Nothing. I just tried to make as many birdies as I could. I felt the pressure because I knew people were around [the top], so it could have been me or could have been someone else. I didn’t know. So I tried to hit the best shots I could even with all the pressure I had.
“The eagle was awesome. I was hesitant between my 3-hybrid and my 4-wood, but I saw the wind was a little right to left and I could get there with a really good three hybrid. And when it hit, it went out of my club. I could feel like it was pretty good, but it needed a little bit more height and it did.”
With the Ford Women’s NSW Open victory, Laisne adds an LET title to her one Epson Tour victory which came in 2023 and two LET Access Series (LETAS) wins which both came in 2020.
She also becomes the second LET winner of the season after Charley Hull won the PIF Saudi Ladies International.
Ireland's Aine Donegan finished tied 16th having led the tournament in the early stages. (Photo: Tristan Jones/LET)
Ireland’s Aine Donegan led the tournament in the early stages and ultimately finished tied 16th with rounds of 68, 63, 74, 70 for a nine-under total. Anna Foster was tied 37th (72, 67, 70, 71).
On the LET Order of Merit, Laisne moves into a tie for 1st with Hull after collecting 500.00 points for the win. Angurasaranee moves into tied second with South Africa’s Casandra Alexander after her brilliant week – one which included a hole-in-one on Saturday. Heath soars into fifth after collecting 180.00 points.
Next up on the LET’s 2026 Australia swing is a trip north of Sydney to Magenta Shores for the Australian Women’s Classic.