Rebecca Hudson with her trophy

(Tenerife - Sunday 22nd June 2008) – England’s Rebecca Hudson birdied the third extra hole of a sudden-death playoff against Anne-Lise Caudal from France to capture the Tenerife Ladies Open at Golf Costa Adeje on Sunday.

Hudson, 29, from Doncaster, began the final round one shot behind Caudal and posted a final round 69 in regulation play to finish on 10-under-par 278 in total.

Caudal, who won the previous week’s tournament in Portugal, was a shot ahead with one hole to play, but bogeyed the par-five 18th after hitting her second shot into a greenside bunker, from where she took four shots to get down. She signed for a final round 70.

Both players birdied the 472-yard 18th hole at the first extra time of asking. Hudson rolled in a 12 footer for birdie while Caudal replied by holing hers from four feet. They both made pars on the 18th at the second extra hole, both players just missing their birdie chances.

After Caudal took four at the third extra hole, the 377-yard par-four 17th, Hudson sank her three foot birdie putt claiming her second individual Ladies European Tour title and a first prize of €45,000.
It was her first LET victory since the 2006 OTP Bank Ladies European Open in Hungary, although she also won the European Cup in Spain in April, which was a team event.

Hudson reacts on the green at the third extra hole

“I didn’t expect Anne-Lise to bogey the last in regulation play so to actually get into the play-off and then win it, I’m thrilled,” said Hudson, who is playing in her sixth season on the LET.
“I did not expect her to make any mistakes. Making a five on that hole is a bit like a dropped shot because it is quite a short par five but it was playing into the wind today. It was difficult so I didn’t expect her to make a six. When she did it was a bit of a shock but I managed to hole that 12 footer on the first way round and that was crucial. Pressure or however the situation is took its toll and what happened, happened. I’ll definitely have a nice bottle of something tonight.” Hudson said she would celebrate her victory with fellow Tour player Kirsty Fisher, who was caddying for her over the weekend after missing the cut herself.

Caudal was pleased to cap a month of strong performances, during which she posted tied fourth, third, first and second in Germany, Holland, Portugal and Tenerife respectively. “I am happy with my day. I played good today but just made a bogey on the 18th. After that I played well in the play-off but Rebecca made a good shot on the 17th. I’m happy with my result and my month,” she said.

Referring to her bunker shot on the 18th, which she played out just short of the green, she said: “The sand is not very easy here and you don’t know what the ball can do. I hit a good shot but I don’t know what happened.” She will now take a two week break.

European number one Gwladys Nocera shot a final round 68 to finish on a total of seven-under-par and shared third with Spanish amateur Carlota Ciganda, who led at the halfway stage of the tournament and had a final round of 71.

Another Spanish amateur, Marta Silva (72), finished on six-under-par in a share of fifth with England’s Melissa Reid (73) and Russian Maria Verchenova (72). Spain’s Paula Marti (69) finished in a share of eighth position with Denmark’s Lisa Holm Sorensen (73) on five-under-par.