Tracy Loveys held her nerve to claim an unprecedented fourth Titleist & FootJoy Women’s PGA Professional Championship title at Burnham& Berrow. Loveys, from Bigbury Golf Club in Devon, was already the most successful lady in the tournament’s history with three victories recorded consecutively each year between 2008 and 2010.
And that experience ultimately proved to be telling as she found herself battling for the lead with Ladies European Tour regular Lucy Williams over the back nine. Both women were level going onto the back nine and could not be separated until Loveys landed an excellent chip on the green and holed for a vital, championship-winning birdie. That left her with a two-day four-over-par total of 152, enough to finish one shot clear of Mid Herts pro Williams and claim the £1,000 first prize.
Suzanne Dickens won last time out at Blairgowrie but she was unable to trouble the leaders, finishing the event third on eight-over-par despite two birdies at the end of her round. Loveys will return for another crack at the testing links next week to play in the Lombard Trophy regional final.
Commenting Loveys stated, “To be honest it still hasn’t sunk in. I’m a bit shocked to have won, it was difficult out there and I didn’t get the same bits of luck as I did yesterday. At times I felt like I was trying to throw it away – but that’s what this course does to you. But it is an honour to win this event for the fourth time, especially after finishing runner up a few times recently too.”