NERVY WAIT BEFORE WALSH WINS PLACE AT LPGA Q-SERIES
Ireland’s Lauren Walsh ended the season in 10th on the LET Order of Merit and won a place at the LPGA Q-Series Final (Photo: Tristan Jones/LET)
Lauren Walsh had a nervy wait before securing the all-important 10th position on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit that also stamps her place in next week’s LPGA Q-Series final stage.
Walsh started this week’s season-ending Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España presented by Oysho in 10th and needed to remain inside the top 10th standings for the chance to win playing rights in on the LPGA Tour next season.
Destiny looked to be out of her hands for a time when the Irish professional closed with a final round 74 to tie only 47th on one-over. However, it was good enough for the Castlewarden golfer to retain the 10th and final spot to earn her place at Q-Series.
The added bonus is Walsh will also earn a place at next year’s AIG Women’s Open and the Evian Championship regardless of what happens next week. It is reward for another strong campaign in only her second full season in the paid ranks where she had seven top 10s.
Anna Foster finished the week in Spain as the leading Irish player, tied 34th on two-under after a closing 72. Sara Byrne closed with a 74 to be tied 56th on three-over.
WINNER’S CIRCLE
France’s Nastasia Nadaud claimed her maiden LET win at the seson-ending Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España presented by Oysho (Photo/LET)
Meanwhile at the business end of proceedings, France’s Nastasia Nadaud stormed to victory firing a six-under 66 for a 16-under total to win by four from Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley (69) in second.
The 21-year-old started the day in third place, five shots behind overnight leader Trichat Cheenglab and found birdies early in her round at Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf. She made birdies on the first and third holes before an eagle on the fourth and she made a further birdie on the fifth to go to the top of the leaderboard.
After the turn, the Frenchwoman rolled in three birdies on the trot on holes 10, 11 and 12 before dropping a shot on the 13th and 16th holes. However, Nadaud went to the 18th hole with a four-shot lead and rolled in her par to seal her win her maiden LET title.
“I don’t really know what to say! It’s been so intense all week, I’m really happy with the outcome,” said Nadaud. “It’s been a rollercoaster week, but it’s insane. I don’t have the words for right now.
“All week I had pretty weird shots to play from the trees and missing fairways, I hit amazing shots as well. I had a really hot start and was five-under through five holes. My putting has been really good all week and it has saved me a lot of shots. It’s been really intense.
“I think the previous experiences [of finishing second] really helped me. First in Belgium, I had a really stressful shot out of the rough and I stressed out. The same at La Sella, it was stressful and I didn’t know how to handle that. This time I had a stressful back nine from 13 to 16 and I knew how to handle that much better in my head and my game of golf as well.”
Nadaud has been working with LET player Michele Thomson as her caddie since the start of September and she credits her with improving her confidence in her game.
She added: “It has been an amazing run of events with Michele since she started with me in Houston. She has really helped me with my self-confidence with my mental game and my golf game of course. She brings so much confidence for me; I really love that.”
Four players finished in a share of third place with Australia’s Kelsey Bennett, Germany’s Olivia Cowan, Norway’s Dorthea Forbrigd and France’s Perrine Delacour all on 11-under-par.
In the LET Order of Merit, Singapore’s Shannon Tan ended the year as number one 183.01 points ahead of England’s Mimi Rhodes with Nadaud jumping from ninth to third in the rankings.
ORDER OF MERIT WINNER
Singapore’s Shannon Tan wins the 2025 LET Order of Merit. (Photo: LET)