SKARPNORD WINS AFTER SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN REDUCED TO ONE ROUND

NEWS RELEASE FROM LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
SOUTHBROOM, KwaZulu-Natal: Marianne Skarpnord of Norway became the winner of the South African Women’s Open today after the tournament was reduced from 54 to 18 holes due to adverse weather.

Skarpnord, winner of the British girls' open championship at Newport in 2003, opened with a first-round three under par 69 in rainy conditions at Southbroom Golf Club in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday to hold a one shot lead over seven players.

Heavy rain forced the postponement of the second round on Saturday and a cut was made to 68 players after 18 holes, with a view to reducing the tournament to 36 holes.

However, the start of the second and final round on Sunday was delayed by two and a half hours due to thunder and lightning, followed by a further 15 minute delay due to a waterlogged course.

At 3.05pm play was suspended due to strong winds gusting up to 66 km per hour. The course became unplayable and as conditions did not improve, the organisers took the decision to reduce the event further, to 18 holes.

This was Skarpnord’s third career victory on the Ladies European Tour and her first in four years, following the Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open and Carta Si Ladies Italian Open, both won in 2009. However the 27-year-old from Sarpsborg more recently won the Ladies Norwegian Challenge on the 2012 LET Access Series.

  FINAL TOTALS (reduced to 18 holes, played on Friday)

69 - Marianne Skarpnord (NOR)

70 - Camilla Lennarth (SWE) , Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA) , Charley Hull (ENG) , Katie Burnett (USA) , Minea Blomqvist (FIN) , Ashleigh Simon (RSA) , Nina Holleder (GER)

71 - Valentine Derrey (FRA) , Cathryn Bristow (NZL) , Rebecca Hudson (ENG) , Line Vedel (DEN) , Mallory Fraiche (USA) , Miriam Nagl (GER) , Emily Taylor (ENG)

72 - Nontaya Srisawang (THA) , Sarah King (AUS) , Melissa Eaton (RSA) , Ursula Wikstrom (FIN) , Nicola Eaton (RSA) , Becky Brewerton (WAL) , Kim Williams (RSA) , Trish Johnson (ENG) , Katy McNicoll (SCO) , Lee-Anne Pace (RSA) , Celine Palomar (FRA)

73 - Holly Clyburn (ENG) , Alana Van Greuning (RSA) , Florentyna Parker (ENG) , Laurette Maritz (RSA) , Lucie Andre (FRA) , Kylie Walker (SCO) , Melanie Maetzler (SUI) , Daniela Holmqvist (SWE) , Nikki Campbell (AUS) , Georgina Simpson (ENG) , Louise Larsson (SWE) , Ji Sun Kang (KOR) , Marion Ricordeau (FRA) , Tania Elosegui (ESP) , Kaisa Ruuttila (FIN) , Monique Smit (RSA) , Sophie Walker (ENG)

74 - Zuzana Kamasova (SVK) , Joanna Klatten (FRA) , Margherita Rigon (ITA) , Linda Wessberg (SWE) , Titiya Plucksataporn (THA) , Nikki Garrett (AUS) , Danielle Montgomery (ENG) , Sophie Giquel-bettan (FRA) , Nicole Becker (RSA) , Henriette Frylinck (RSA) , Stacey Keating (AUS) , Mikaela Parmlid (SWE)

75 - Malene Jorgensen (DEN) , Jade Schaeffer (FRA) , Yu Yang Zhang (CHN) , Tandi Cuningham (RSA) , Michaela Fletcher (RSA) , Maha Haddioui (MAR) , Veronica Zorzi (ITA) , Pamela Pretswell (SCO) , Connie Chen (RSA) , Gwladys Nocera (FRA) , Magda Kruger (RSA) , Bianca Theron (RSA) , Marjet Van Der Graaff (NED)

MISSED THE CUT

76 - Jia Yun Li (CHN) , Whitney Hillier (AUS) , Alexandra Vilatte (FRA) , Maria Salinas (PER) , Cheyenne Woods (USA) , Carly Booth (SCO) , Sophie Sandolo (ITA) , Morgana Robbertze (RSA) , Iliska Verwey (RSA)

77 - Lydia Hall (WAL) , Hannah Burke (ENG) , Xi Yu Lin (CHN) , Anais Maggetti (SUI) , Julia Davidsson (SWE) , Cecilie Lundgreen (NOR) , Sahra Hassan (WAL)

78 - Michelle De Vries (RSA) , Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) , Leigh Whittaker (GER)

79 - Bree Arthur (AUS) , Bonita Bredenhann (NAM) , Caroline Afonso (FRA) , Cara Gorlei (RSA) , Caryn Louw (RSA) , Tiffany Avern-taplin (RSA)

80 - Tijana Kraljevic (RSA) , Elina Nummenpaa (FIN) , Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ) , Mandy Adamson (RSA) , Izel Pieters (RSA)

81 - Ashleigh Holmes (RSA) , Lara Weinstein (RSA)

82 - Danielle Mcveigh (IRL) , Paula Hurtado (COL) , Kim Brookes (RSA) , Monja Richards (RSA)

85 - Sharmila Nicollet (IND)

86 - Betty Mokoena (RSA)

88 - Virginia Espejo (ESP) , Nicole Loesch (RSA)

Ends