Emma Spitz Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Spitz, Hewson and De Roey qualify for 2023 US Women’s Open

Matt Smith — Tue, 30 May 2023 07:12:32 +0000

Emma Spitz booked her spot in the US Women’s Open in style by rising to the top at the Qualifier at Naxhelet Golf Club in Belgium.

The Austrian secured medallist honours with rounds of 69 and 70 for a five-under total.

It will be a second appearance at the US Women’s Open for Spitz, who made her debut at the championship in 2020 while still an amateur, and her first appearance as a professional.

“I’m super happy,” said Spitz. “If someone told me I was going to do this after nine holes on Friday last week, I would not have believed them. I was very close to going home and I’m glad I stayed.

“I had a long talk with my coach after the round and we figured something out. That’s how golf is, one day you think you can’t hit a single shot anymore and the next you play 36 holes and you’re going to the US Women’s Open. It’s crazy, but I’m really excited.

“It’s my dad’s 60th birthday party soon and I don’t have a present for him, so I was thinking about what to get him. Me and my boyfriend thought about tickets to Pebble Beach before this, and now he can come with me.”

England’s Alice Hewson also got her ticket to the 78th US Women’s Open Championship, which will be held from July 6-9.

The 25-year-old produced rounds of 71 and 70 to finish in second place and it will also be a debut in the Championship for the LET winner.

“I’m really excited,” said Hewson. “I was happy to get the job done, especially straight off the back of finishing the tournament here in Belgium. I’m really happy how I held myself together on the last few holes. I didn’t really see any scoreboards which was helpful in that situation.

“I have never been to Pebble Beach before. It changes my plans a little bit for this season, I’ll adjust a couple of events but I’m more than happy to do that for this opportunity. I think my whole family is coming with me. I’m so excited and really happy that the whole family should be able to be there with me.”

At the end of 36 holes, it was Finland’s Elina Nummenpaa and Belgium’s Manon de Roey who shared third place on two-under-par.

However, with three qualifying spots up for grabs, the duo headed back to the 18th tee for a playoff and it was home favourite De Roey who made a par on the first playoff hole which was enough to seal her place at Pebble Beach.

De Roey, who will be making her US Women’s Open debut, explained: “I feel unbelievable! I could not even have imagined this at the start of today. To do it in Belgium as well, I’m stoked and so excited.

“Today was very stressful, the first 18 I didn’t play so well but the second 18 I was up and down with eagles and double bogeys and then I found out I had to play another hole.

“I wasn’t that nervous on the tee in the playoff and I hit a good tee shot and then I wasn’t that nervous on the approach to the green, but the two putts I was quite nervous because I knew it was going to be really close.”

The post Spitz, Hewson and De Roey qualify for 2023 US Women’s Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Ladies European Tour: Wikstrom and Spitz grab the advantage in Finland

Matt Smith — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 08:30:29 +0000

Ursula Wikstrom. LET

By Matt Smith
Home star Ursula Wikstrom and Austrian Emma Spitz took the early advantage with a pair of four-under 68s in windy conditions at the Aland 100 Ladies Open in Finland.

Finn Wikstrom, who started from the ninth, birdied the 11th, 14th and 17th holes before sinking a five-metre putt on the 18th green to tie for the lead. She dropped a shot on the first hole, but quickly recovered with a birdie on the fourth.

“It was a good day today. I finally made some putts and I’ve been struggling on the greens recently, so it was nice to make some good putts,” said the 42-year-old from Espoo, who is playing for her first title in her 296th tournament on the LET.

“I loved that putt on the 18th with the crowd behind me. I always love to play in Finland with the crowds. It’s always nice to get some extra attention and have people behind you who want you to win.”

Three of Wikstrom’s eight runner-up finishes have been in this tournament and speaking about the challenge at Alands Golf Club, she added: “The wind makes it really tough out there, especially when it was getting really strong. Otherwise, we only had our last two holes in the rain. The course is in amazing shape round here and the greens are really nice, too.”

Spitz played the first nine in one-under but came home in three-under-par 33. She played her last four holes in five-under-par with a tap-in eagle on 15, followed by three straight birdies. The two-time Junior Solheim Cup player said that the key was playing to the safer side of the greens.

“On this course, when it gets windy, you have to play safe and aim for the middle of the green,” she said. “The course is fun. The greens are in perfect condition and it’s a really good test. If you play well, you can make birdies, but if you make mistakes there are some bad scores out there as well. The greens are easier for me to read than last week, so I felt good.”

Spitz made her professional debut in last week’s Skafto Open, where she tied for 10th place.

Sofie Bringner is one stroke behind the leaders in third position on three-under-par.

Sweden’s Isabella Deilert, Anne-Charlotte Mora of France and England’s Sarah Gee are tied for fourth on two-under-par and five further players are tied for seventh position on one-under-par.

The post Ladies European Tour: Wikstrom and Spitz grab the advantage in Finland appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Ladies European Tour: Broch Estrup and Spitz face final-round showdown in Czech Ladies Open

Matt Smith — Sun, 26 Jun 2022 07:41:55 +0000

Denmark’s Nicole Broch Estrup

By Matt Smith
The Czech Ladies Open is set for an intriguing final day as Denmark’s Nicole Broch Estrup and Austrian amateur Emma Spitz are tied at the top on 12-under-par.

Heavy overnight rain continued on Saturday and led to a three-hour delay to proceedings and some soggy conditions.

But once action got under way, the Danish overnight leader continued her impressive form this week carding a bogey-free 67 (-5) to remain at the top of the leaderboard.

“I feel like I played a bit more solid yesterday, but I feel things have gone my way on both days,” said Broch Estrup.

“I just hung on to the red line on 18 behind the green, and you just have to take those things in golf. I hope to play with a bit more confidence tomorrow and try to play with the mindset of trying to achieve good shots rather than avoid hitting bad shots.

“I feel like I stayed patient today and focusing on hitting the good shots even though I could feel my body tensing up and I wasn’t swinging as free as I would like. I was hanging in there and I’m really happy to get it done in five-under.”

The Dane is in contention for the final day, and it is a position she hasn’t been in for a while, but the 2015 Helsingborg Open champion is hoping to take it in her stride.

She added: “It’s super nice to be competing at the top of leaderboards again and it’s been a while since I’ve been here.

“I’m trying to tell myself that it’s good that I’m feeling this way and it’s because I’m in a good position and that’s where I want to be. I would like to feel a bit calmer, but hopefully I can get there some day again.”

.@broch_nicole rips it ?#RaiseOurGame | #CzechLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/faWSTyiVJA

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) June 25, 2022

Austria’s Spitz replicated her first round producing another 66 to put her alongside Broch Estrup at Royal Beroun Golf Club.

A bogey on the first didn’t deter the amateur, who is ranked seventh in the world, and she soon rolled in seven birdies to reach 12-under.

“I was nervous on the first green, I didn’t really know how they were going to roll after the rain and if it was going to be much slower so I left it way short and three-putted which wasn’t a great start, but I told myself I could make a lot of birdies coming in and it worked out fine,” said the former UCLA student.

“I’ve played on the LET Access Series before and been near the lead, but this is different, the level is a lot higher, but I’ll just play my own game and see what happens tomorrow.

“I knew coming in that if I played well, I could play with the top players here. I’ve played against a lot of the players in amateur golf so that’s nice, but it’s always nice to see your name at the top of the leaderboard.

“It’s going to be fun playing with Nicole tomorrow, she’s a great player and it’s going to be cool to see how she plays.”

Two Czech players are tied for third place with amateur Jana Melichova and LET winner Klara Spilkova just one stroke behind the leaders on 11-under-par.

6⃣5⃣

There's been some great low scores in Beroun today, with home favourites Klara Spilkova and Jana Melichova among those to catch the eye in Prague #RaiseOurGame | #CzechLadiesOpen

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) June 25, 2022

Spanish pair Luna Sobron Galmes and Paz Marfa Sans sit in a tie for fifth place on seven-under-par after they both produced second rounds of 69 (-3).

Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson, Czech amateur Patricie Mackova, who celebrated her 21st birthday, and Spain’s Elia Folch are in a share of seventh on six-under-par.

Three players sit in T10 after 36 holes as Wales’ Becky Morgan, France’s Emma Grechi and Czech’s Sara Kouskova all have a total of five-under-par.

Dubai’s Czech star Kristyna Napoleaova is tied for 43rd.

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The post Ladies European Tour: Broch Estrup and Spitz face final-round showdown in Czech Ladies Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.