Iturrios goes back-to-back as she wins historic event
Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic report: What happened at Emirates GC?
A final-round 71 was enough to earn Nuria Iturrios back-to-back titles as she won by a single shot at the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic.
The Spaniard, who clinched the Lalla Meryem Cup last week, held off the German pair of Olivia Cowan and Esther Henseleit to win the €38,000 first prize.
☀️ NURIA LIGHTS UP DUBAI ?
Spanish star @nuriaitu wins the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic & first ever day-night tournament on -10 to secure back-to-back titles ?
Let the celebrations begin ??#ODMC @OMEGAGolfDubai pic.twitter.com/EqRsFfJcjZ
— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) May 3, 2019
Iturrios had earlier carded rounds of 68 and 67 in the 54-hole event to take a lead into the final day that she never relinquished.
“It’s amazing to win again and I’m so excited,” Iturrios, who is the first player to win consecutive titles since Aditi Ashok in 2016, told the LET website.
“It was so cool. I loved playing in the first day-night tournament and I hope to come back next year.”
Ireland’s Leona Maguire, who spent 135 weeks at the top of the women’s world amateur rankings before she turned professional in June, carded a course-record 8-under-par 64 en route to finishing tied 5th.
There were also top-10 finishes for Scotland’s Carly Booth and England’s Gabriella Cowley.
Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic report: The talking point
If the name didn’t give it away, the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic was the first ever professional day-night tournament.
Held at the Nick Faldo-designed Emirates Golf Club, each of the 56 players in the field played at least nine holes of one of their opening two rounds under the floodlights.
Maguire, the World No. 237, said after her course-record 64: “It seems like night golf suits me.”
On playing half of her round under floodlights, the 24-year-old added: “I adjusted quite quickly actually.
“It was a lot better than I thought. The lights went on when we were on 13 and 14, which were a little tricky and then I played the last four holes really nicely.”
Cheyenne Woods, who finished 47th at 8-over-par, added: “It’s very exciting. Regular strokeplay during the day gets a little boring so it’s nice to spice things up. It’s very different for golf, so I think it will be really good.”
What’s next?
Next up on the LET is the La Reserva de Sotogrande Invitational, hosted by Annika Sorenstam. We chatted to the 10-time major champion ahead of the event.
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