Ladies European Tour: Esther Henseleit successfully defends title at Magical Kenya Ladies Open | Golf News

Henseleit secured her second Ladies European Tour title with a one-shot victory in Kenya, three years on from winning the same event; Strom struggled to a final-round 77 to miss out in the LET season opener

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Highlights from Esther Henseleit’s final round as she claimed the Magical Kenya Ladies Open for the second time in her career.

Esther Henseleit capitalised on a disappointing final round from Linnea Strom to enjoy a successful title defence at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open.

Henseleit overturned a three-shot deficit during a gripping final day at Vipingo Ridge, carding a two-under 70 to end the week on two under and a shot clear of Spain’s Marta Sanz Barrio.

The German mixed five birdies with three bogeys on an eventful Sunday to secure her second Ladies European Tour title, three years on from her breakthrough victory in the same event.

“It was a bit of a struggle, but I made it and I’m pretty proud of my last few holes,” Henseleit said. “I was shaking over the putt on 17 and I was shaking down 18 and especially that putt. I have been struggling with the putter over the last one and a half years so it is pretty cool that I holed that one.”

Henseleit recovered from an opening-hole bogey to birdie four of her next seven holes and reached the turn tied with Strom, who carded two bogeys and two birdies over her front nine to stay on three under.

Linnea Strom was unable to complete a wire-to-wire victory in the season opener

Strom slipped out of contention with three bogeys in a five-hole stretch from the 10th, while Sanz Barrio charged up the leaderboard by following a birdie at the 10th with three straight gains from the 12th to get within two of the lead.

Henseleit cancelled out a birdie at the 11th with a dropped shot at the 14th and suffered another bogey after finding water off the tee at the par-three 17th, cutting her lead to one, before holing from eight feet at the last to save par and complete a dramatic victory.

Strom bogeyed two of her last three holes to close a back-nine 41 and end the week four shots back on two over, a shot clear of Germany’s Sophia Hausmann in fourth spot.

Scotland’s Michele Thomson finished in a share of eighth place after rounds of 75 and 74 over the weekend, with Wales’ Becky Morgan a further stroke back in tied-12th.

The next Ladies European Tour event is the Aramco Saudi Ladies International from March 17-20, before the Joburg Ladies Open takes place in South Africa the following week.