Romy Meekers
(Twitter Photo)
ACAYA, Italy (March 19, 2017) -- In a playoff between two Dutch countrywomen, it was Romy Meekers who was able to outlast Zhen Bontan on Sunday at the Italian International Women's Amateur hosted by Circolo Acaya Golf & Country.
Both players finished the 72-holes of regulation 3-over on a day where they had to battle from behind to reach the playoff.
Bontan, the 36-hole leader, put together rounds of 72-74-73-72 to reach the playoff. After beginning the the final round one behind she birdied twice and bogeyed twice for an even-par round.
For the eventual champion, Romy Meekers it was tallies of 75-73-72-71 throughout the week. Her 1-under 71 on Sunday to reach the playoff was a wild one that you almost had to see to believe.
Meekers birdied twice and bogeyed once on the front nine to turn in 1-under 35 and 3-over for the tournament but it was on the second nine where craziness ensued. After a 10th hole bogey, Meekers birded the 11th and 12th holes to reach 2-over.
However, disaster was in the cards as she bogeyed the 15th and then double-bogeyed the 16th to apparently fall out of the mix, only to rebound with birdies on each of the last two holes to reach the playoff.
Four players shared third place at 6-over and the group included Alessandra Fanali, Letizia Bagnoli, Celina Rosa Sattelkau and Karen Fredgaard.
54-hole leader Alessia Nobilio fell into a tie for ninth at 8-over following a disappointing closing 6-over 78.
ROUND THREE RECAP
For the first time all week there is just one name atop the Italian International Women's Amateur leaderboard and it belongs to Alessia Nobilio. During Saturday's third round at Circolo Acaya Golf & Country Niobilio put together a 1-under 71 tally that moved her to 2-under and the lead by a stroke.
For Nobilio, the 2016 French International Ladies Amateur Stroke Play, it was the tale of two nines as she turned in 4-under 32 before giving everything back with four consecutive bogeys from Nos. 14-17. After the bogey on the 17th, Nobilio dropped all the way back to even-par for the day but she was able to salvage her round with a closing birdie.
Karen Fredgaard and 36-hole co-leader Zhen Bontan will begin the final round in second place at 3-over while Romy Meekers and Letizia Bagnoli are tied for fourth at 4-over.
Second round co-leader Tiffany Arafi fell to 6-over and seventh place. She will begin the final round four off the pace.
ROUND TWO RECAP
One name is new and the other name is the same but either way you look at it there is still a two-way tie for the Italian International Women's Amateur lead. This time the tie at the midway point is between Tiffany Arafi and first round co-leader Zhen Bontan, both of whom are 2-over.
The duo will carry a one shot lead into the Saturday's third round at Circolo Acaya Golf & Country over a group of four players tied for third at 3-over. Included in that group is first round co-leader Alessia Nobilio.
Three others are sharing seventh at 4-over and overall 19 players are within five shots of the lead.
ROUND ONE RECAP
Zhen Bontan and Alessia Nobilio both shot first round even-par 72's at the Italian International Women's Amateur on Thursday and they share the lead by one.
Bontan's biggest win perviously came at the 2016 Dutch Junior Girls Open while Nobilio won the French International Ladies Amateur Stroke Play in 2016.
Linda Trockell and Chiara Tamburlini are tied for third following 1-over 73's at Circolo Acaya Golf & Country.
A half dozen of others are tied for fifth at 2-over and overall 18 players are within four-strokes of the first round pace.
ABOUT THE Italian International Women's Amateur
72-hole stroke play championship that draws an
international field. Cut made after 54 holes.
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