Portuguese International Ladies winner Maria Parra
Maria Parra won the most important title of her
amateur career Saturday at the Portuguese
International Women's Amateur Championship.
The No. 1 ranked European started the day with a
three stroke lead and extended that lead to nine, with
the Swiss golfer Albane Valenzuela finishing in second.
Parra's tournament total of 17-under par at Montado
Hotel & Golf Resort in Palmela, "is a new tournament
record for 72 holes," said the national technical director
and tournament director of FPG, John Coutinho.
The 17-year old Parra posted rounds of 66, 68, 69 and
68, smashing the previous record belonging to the Irish
Leona Maguire with 14-under par in 2011, at the
Country Club of Aroeira.
The win was a double triumph, as the team of the
Royal Spanish Federation of Golf also triumphed in the
Nations Cup, with 565 (11-under Par), leaving Italy in
2nd place, a distant 10 strokes back.
"The truth is that this field pleases me greatly, there
have been many victories Spanish girls here and I
believe that since last year I improved a lot," said
Parra.
"This is my best moment in golf and so I will try to turn
professional this year," she added, after acknowledging
that entered the last round made her "somewhat
nervous."
Still, she managed to control herself and for a second
day was bogey-free with four birdies. Parra's final
round 68 (-4) tied for low on the last day, along with
the Olivia Mehaffey of Ireland, who finished in 4th place
(-1). At the end of 72 holes, only the top-5 was able to
beat the par of the track designed by Jorge Santana da
Silva.
-- story courtesy Portuguese Golf Federation
ABOUT THE Portuguese International Ladies Amateur
World ranking event for international women
amateurs.
72 holes stroke play.
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