Lee-Anne Pace finished her year inside the top 10 on the Ladies European Tour on Sunday when she took a share of 25th in the season-ending Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open De Espana.
Pace closed the week with a one-under-par 72 to move to five-under for the tournament. That was 13 shots behind the winner, Caroline Hedwall of Sweden, who held off Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux in a play-off that lasted four holes.
After playing the 18th hole three times they went to the 17th. It was a hole where Hedwall has had success all week and she made the green in two and sunk her birdie putt to win her seventh LET title. “It just feels awesome, it feels forever that I have waited for that win,” she said. “I wasn’t sure I still had it in me. It’s so nice to get it together and get this win.”
Pace played 23 tournaments in the season to finish in ninth on the final standings for the season. She won the Investec South African Women’s Open Championship, and had six other top-10s. She also had eight other finishes inside the top 20 in a very consistent season.
Sweden’s Linn Grant produced an excellent final day of eight-under 65 to secure third place. With her finish, She clinched the 2022 Race to Costa del Sol title having capped an incredible rookie season. She said: “I am just very relieved, very happy. This is huge for Swedish golf, having Johanna Gustavsson as well at number three on the rankings. I’ve had Carro [Hedwall] as a role model myself to just see her out there winning and getting that moment for herself is awesome as well.”
Nicole Garcia was the next-best South African on the rankings, finishing 25th after a closing one-under 72 in the final tournament. She was in a share of 35th in the tournament, and her season included five top10 finishes with a best of third in the Joburg Ladies Open and the Aramco Team Series-Jeddah.
Casandra Hall was the other South African to make the field in the season-finale, and she carded a closing level-par 73 to finish in a share of 45th. She was 30th on the final rankings list.
