Becky Morgan clinches Hero Women's Indian Open title

The 44-year old Morgan, who has been one of the very few players to appear regularly in the tournament ever since it became a Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned event in 2010, had never missed the cut here in nine editions and finished in the top-10 thrice before Sunday but had to wait this long for her maiden title.

Becky Morgan after winning the Hero Women's Indian Open in Gurugram on Sunday.

Through 17 holes on Sunday, Becky Morgan and Christine Wolf stayed level, repeatedly exchanging the lead at the top of the leaderboard as both attempted to win their maiden title on the LET. It finally came down to nerves and Morgan kept it on the final hole for a four-day total of 281 to win the 13th Hero Women's Indian Open here by two strokes even as Wolf collapsed in a manner none would have imagined to settle for a share of the four-way tie for second spot.

Austrian Wolf had seen her comfortable lead wiped out on Day Three with a quadruple bogey on the 18th, hitting the water twice. And lightening struck her twice over when she did the same on Day Four, sending the ball into water for a double bogey and ending her hopes. Swede Caroline Hedwall, Felicity Johnson of Denmark and Nicole Brosch Larsen all finished on five-under par 283 for the tournament, the last managing an incredible eagle on the 18th, her second for the day.

The 44-year old Morgan, who has been one of the very few players to appear regularly in the tournament ever since it became a Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned event in 2010, had never missed the cut here in nine editions and finished in the top-10 thrice before Sunday but had to wait this long for her maiden title.

Her final day had four birdies and just one bogey, dropping a shot on the 10th before recovering to play safe, parring seven of the remaining holes on the back nine. Morgan and Johnson were also the only two players to not go over-par on any of the four days.

“It’s taken me 18 years and it’s a mixture of excitement and relief that finally I have done it. I didn’t look at the scoreboard until the 18th green because I knew anything could happen. I had the chance to win here three years ago but got too caught up in what was going on, so I needed to keep my head down,” Morgan said.

Among the Indians, Tvesa Malik and Gaurika Bishnoi managed the best results, finishing joint 13th with five others at one-over 289 four-day score.

Leading scores: 281: Becky Morgan (Wal, 72-72-68-69); 283: Caroline Hedwall (Swe, 69-77-69-68), Christine Wolf (Aut, 68-68-77-), Felicity Johnson (Eng, 72-72-69-70), Nicole Broch Larsen (Den, 74-69-69-71); 287: Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras (Tha, 68-72-78-69), Supamas Sangchan (Tha, 74-71-72-70), Noora Komulainen (Fin, 72-72-70-73); 288: Sarah Kemp (Aus, 73-72-71-72), Karolin Lampert (Ger, 75-74-67-72), Olivia Cowan (Ger, 71-74-69-74), Manon Molle (Fra, 72-70-71-75).