There were two consecutive bogeys on the homeward stretch for Paula Reto on Sunday, but she still carded a closing two-under-par 70 in the final round of the LPGA Tour’s LTBC Classic presented by Barbasol at Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, California to finish in a share of 23rd.
Her seven-under-par tournament total left her nine shots behind the winner, Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand, who closed with an eight-under-par 64 to catch Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen at 16-under and force the play-off. She did that by three-putting for bogey on the second play-off hole to win her first LPGA Tour title.
Reto, who had an extended holiday in South Africa which included a victory in the SuperSport Ladies Challnege and a runner-up finish in the Jabra Ladies Classic on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, had two birdies on each nine, exhibiting the confidence she said her performances back home gave her. The bogeys came on the 14th and 15th, dropping her away from contending for a top-10 finish.
She will nevertheless be satisfied with what was a solid season opener on the LPGA Tour.
