Welshwoman Darcey Harry, 22, won the inaugural Hulencourt Women’s Open, a Ladies European Tour tournament with €300,000 in prize money, held on the prestigious Belgian course “Le Vallon” de Hulencourt, in Vieux-Genappe.
After four rounds, the Cardiff rookie won with a total score of -13 under par (cards of 71, 68, 68, and 68). It was her first victory on the professional tour. In the final standings, she finished ahead of Frenchwoman Nastasia Nadaud (-10) and New Zealander Amelia Garvey (-9).
A top-notch field featured some of the greatest European professional champions of the moment and a course manicured by the greenkeeping teams.
The sun shone throughout the event, to the delight of a healthy crowd of enthusiasts and connoisseurs.
Perfectly prepared, the course lived up to its promise, forcing the players to pull out all the stops and demonstrate great precision on fast, undulating greens.
It was thanks to a remarkable fourth round that Darcey sealed her first title on the Ladies European Tour.
Solid in all areas of her game, she shot a final round of 68, including five birdies and an eagle.
Having turned professional last year, the Welshwoman is blazing new trails and this success could serve as a catalyst for her career.
She told this site: “It was a magical moment. I knew that if I was consistent, I’d have a good chance. The lead was very tight. My eagle on the 13th hole was obviously very important. Especially since I followed that up with a birdie on the 14th.”
“I tried to keep a cool head afterward. Deep down, I was very nervous. But I took it shot by shot, and my caddie helped me a lot. And it all turned out well,” confided the winner, who, as is tradition, was showered with champagne by her teammates after her final putt.
The five Belgian amateur players, who had received a wild card from the Royal Belgian Federation, failed to make the cut, which was set at +3. But Céline Manche (+4), Louise Cuyvers (+5), Sophie Bert (+9), Diane Denis (+12) and Audrey Lam (+15) have nothing to be ashamed of and they gained plenty of experience.
Noteworthy was the feat of young Spaniard Rocio Tejedo Mulet, the only amateur golfer to make the cut.
Palmo Venneri (General Manager of Hulencourt) said: “We are delighted with how this first edition went. The level of play presented by the champions present was exceptional and made for a truly spectacular spectacle. Women’s golf is often relegated to the shadows.”
“We are pleased to have helped showcase it, both in Belgium and abroad. The tournament was broadcast live across Europe. We are also very proud that Hulencourt met the expectations of the Ladies European Tour with a course that was both high-quality and competitive.”
“We are now already focused on the second edition with the ambition of raising the bar even higher by continuing to promote the great sporting and human values that have been dear to Hulencourt since its creation in 1988.”
