Esther Henseleit Wins LET Order of Merit With Victory in Kenya

Germany’s Esther Henseleit checked a course record 64 to win the debut Magical Kenya Ladies Open by one shot and secure the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit title on a sensational last day at Vipingo Ridge close to Mombasa.

The 20-year-old first-year proficient golf player from Hamburg turned out to be just the third player in the 41-year history of the Ladies European Tour to catch the Order of Merit and Rookie of the Year titles in a similar season, following Dame Laura Davies in 1985 and Carlota Ciganda, in 2012.

Triumph saw Henseleit jump Marianne Skarpnord as the European No 1 and become the primary German player to win either the Order of Merit or Rookie of the Year titles.

Henseleit posted eight birdies on the Baobab Course at Vipingo Ridge to post a triumphant aggregate of 14 under a standard, one superior to India’s Aditi Ashok, who shot 65. Medium-term pioneer Julia Engström finished third after a 74.

Henseleit began the day seven strokes behind Engström, yet immediately made an accuse of birdies on the main, fourth, 6th, seventh and ninth openings to get inside two of Engström at the turn.

Engström three-putted the tenth as Henseleit birdied the eleventh and the pair were tied on 12 under the standard. Henseleit pulled one stroke ahead with a birdie from six feet on the thirteenth opening and afterward went two clear after Engström came up short 13.

Henseleit included the eighth birdie from four feet at 15 to move three strokes clear, yet observed her lead slice to one as Ashok birdied 16 and 18.

Henseleit finished with three standards to guarantee her first Ladies European Tour title, following a leap forward proficient win not long ago on the LET Access Series, in the Skaftö Open.

Henseleit stated: “To close the season with a success is the best feeling I could envision. To be the Order of Merit victor and Rookie of the Year is only unbelievable. Yesterday, after my round, I was somewhat baffled however I simply attempted to improve today. I unquestionably attempted to win, despite the fact that I realized it would be extremely hard.

“After nine holes, I saw I was two shots back and I realized it was possible. I simply attempted to make a ton of birdies and I hit some extraordinary iron shots and gave myself many short birdie putts. The course was lovely and it played somewhat simpler today in light of the fact that the greens were gentler. I did as well as could be expected.”

Henseleit, who completed third at LET Qualifying School a year back, and turned proficient in January with impairment of +7.1, realized that she expected to win the Kenya Ladies Open to grab the Order of Merit and she conveyed under strain.

Her season included one win and eight further top-10 completes the process of, incorporating four-second places in the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic, La Reserva de Sotogrande Invitational, Ladies European Thailand Championship, and Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open.

She stated: “It’s been an incredible year on the Ladies European Tour. It’s an extremely amicable visit and it’s been incredible to venture to the far corners of the planet every week with the various golf players.”

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