Schaeffer triumphs in Prague

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September 11, 2011

Jade Schaeffer earned her second LET title at the inaugural Raiffeisenbank Prague Golf Masters in the Czech Republic.

France’s Jade Schaeffer earned her second Ladies European Tour title at the inaugural Raiffeisenbank Prague Golf Masters in the Czech Republic.
The 25-year-old from Paris, who last won two years ago in Germany, shot a final round 70 to win by two shots on a hot and sunny afternoon at Albatross Golf Resort.
Fellow Frenchwoman Julie Greciet was second on 11 under with Sweden’s Linda Wessberg one stroke further back in third.
England’s Kym Larratt, Scotland’s Kylie Walker and Becky Brewerton of Wales finished tied for fourth on nine under, with Czech rookie Klára Spilková two strokes behind in a tie for ninth place.
Beginning the day four strokes clear, Schaeffer birdied the second before a bogey at the third. She followed that with an eagle two on the fourth after hitting her drive up to ten feet (three metres) right of the flag on the 285-yard hole. She then birdied the ninth and was four clear of Greciet at the turn.
A second bogey followed at the 15th, but Schaeffer safely made par on each of the closing three holes with fellow Tour player Melodie Bourdy on the bag.
“I’m so happy,” said long-hitting Schaeffer, in her fifth season as a professional. “It’s very good because I won two years ago and I think it’s the best sensation, the win, for the golfer.
“My golf today was very good and I played so well, the same as the last day, but my putting did not rendezvous. It’s okay.”
Schaeffer now has two wins on the LET, but she also won twice on the LET Access Series, the official feeder tour, last year, before having wrist surgery in January.
She made her LET comeback in Germany in May and tied for 35th, before missing three straight cuts in the middle of the season. She was steadily improving with top-20 finishes at both of her last two events in Scotland and Austria, but a career-low round of 64 on the second day proved the catalyst to victory.
Greciet, who earned a career best finish of second with a final round 65, was one of a group of French players who ran onto the 18th green to spray Schaeffer in champagne as she raised her hands aloft in celebration.
The fourth year professional, said: “I am very happy. The putting was very good. I made 27 putts and that’s great.”
Wessberg had to settle for her second third place finish in a fortnight but said: “I played great today, actually. I missed a few shorter putts, like six to eight footers, probably five of them, so that hurts. Overall I’m pretty happy with the way I played and the way I hung in there.”
Spilková, tied for second overnight, was overcome with emotion as she ended the round in front of a vociferous home gallery.
The teary 16-year-old sensation from Prague explained: “I was just happy. I finished with two bogeys but I was happy, because there were so many people and it’s really nice. This is good for us. This is good for the Czech Republic for a small country. I hope it will grow up and be better and better.”
The LET now heads south to Spain for the Open de España Femenino.