A 34-year-old Californian crowned in the Basque country

The 2016 edition of the Lacoste Ladies Open of France, disputed from October 6 to 9 at Chantaco, will have been animated by three funny ladies. Associated in the final part of Sunday, Florentyna Parker, Beth Allen and Diana Luna had already shone in the first three rounds by taking the lead of the leaderboard. Florentyna on Thursday, Beth on Friday and Diana on Saturday. But in the end, on a clear and cool Sunday over the Basque country, it is Beth Allen who signs her American show. Going up a handicap four strokes behind Diana Luna in the last nine holes, Allen added a final card of 67 (an eagle, three birdies and two bogeys) to the 64, 67 and 68 already successful on the par 70 of Chantaco. The Californian, by succeeding in concluding her week at -14, thus becomes the first American to win the women's open in France. This gives a little historic side to the 2016 edition of the tournament.

09/10/2016. Ladies European Tour 2016. Lacoste Ladies Open De France. Golf De Chantaco, St Jean De Luz, France. 6-9 October. Beth Allen of the USA with her trophy and Lacoste bag. Credit: Tristan Jones

Diana Luna, second in open for the fourth time

This story, Diana Luna, the Italian ambassador of the Cannes-Mandelieu golf course, would have liked to write it herself. Already three times second in the French Open in 2010 (loss in play-off against Trish Johnson), 2011 (loss in play-off against Felicity Johnson) and 2012 (defeat in one shot against Stacey Keating), the charming Transalpine explained the day before how much she hoped that this time would be the right one: “Having been second three times, of course that makes me want to win even more! I made my life in France thanks to my French husband, it is a country that welcomed me with sympathy and that I appreciate very much. A difficult comeback during the final part of Sunday, with a bogey at 10 and above all this terrible triple bogey on the famous sloping green of par 4 n ° 11 ruined all his hopes. Diana, with a final -10, finished second in the Lacoste Ladies Open de France for… the fourth time! Florentyna Parker, even with her excellent 67 final, could not do better than second tied at -10 because the Englishwoman had started in her Sunday with five strokes behind Diana Luna and four strokes on Beth Allen…

Finish with three birdies for Beth, Florentyna and Diana

Miss Allen, unlike Diana The Italian, knew no fault at the end of the tournament. It was even with an eagle at 15 that the American interrupted all suspense for the victory. The future winner and her two runners-up, all definitively locked in their places well before the green of the 18th, nevertheless offered a nice collective moment to the public, each with a birdie to finish. High-flying putting demonstration, before the awards ceremony for an American for the first time. Holding up the cup, Beth Allen multiplied the marks of gratitude. To the organizers, to Lacoste, to Sophie Gustafson, who is his youngest (“Sophie is a friend, she helps me a lot, she is fabulous and I have total confidence in her”), to the city of Saint-Jean- de-Luz which is one of his favorite destinations) without forgetting to greet the one who is by his side in life: “My wife”. This is how the 34-year-old young woman, recently married and who has chosen to play in Europe, explains her new success (victory in 2015 at the Ladies European Masters, victory in this Lacoste Ladies 2016, current 2nd in the European Order of Merit with 25 € behind the Chinese Shanshan Feng): “For two years, I've been playing well because I'm very happy off the fairways too…”

Isabelle Boineau, 9th place for the French leader of 2016

Already 5th in the Order of European Merit at the end of 2015, the Californian can aim for the European crown, this year on the Ladies European Tour. Because with the € 37 of her victory at the Lacoste Ladies open in France, she indeed totals more than € 500 in earnings and is close to the € 226 already acquired by Shanshan Feng. The 000 title could well be played between the two champions. Because the Scottish Catriona Matthew, 252rd in the ranking, and Isabelle Boineau, 274th, are closer to € 2016 in earnings so far. So at a good distance from Feng and Allen… The Lacoste Ladies open of France 3 will nevertheless have been a good operation for Isabelle Boineau. Already winner of the Scottish Open in July, the Marseillaise, 4th at Chantaco (-130 total) confirms that she is indeed the best French player on the LET at the moment. Only a Friday without putting (000, +2016) will have prevented her from playing with the best while she also recorded three very nice cards (9, 5, 72).

Alexandra Villate 10th, Céline Boutier 14th, Céline Herbin 19th

Just behind Isabelle Boineau, Alexandra Vilatte-Farret signs her own great performance by being 10th at -4. The graduate in pharmacy, came to professional golf in 2012 and caddeyée in Chantaco by Benjamin Farret, her husband, teacher of EPS, signs at 33 years her greatest performance at the open of France. This top 10 is also the seventh for Alexandra in five full seasons on the LET. Third great satisfaction: the 14th place (-2) of the young Céline Boutier, who went pro last September after having accumulated the titles among amateurs, including the memorable British Ladies 2015. Promising! As for Céline Herbin, the defending champion of the Lacoste Ladies Open of France, she could not do better than 19th this year (by). Besides three good cards of 68, 67 and 70, there was, for Céline, the "accident" on Saturday. With this 75 for the day, mainly due to the five putts for triple bogey at the famous par 4 n ° 11, fatal the next day to Diana Luna. But Céline Herbin's big victory in 2015, after three play-off holes against Emily Pedersen, is remembered. The Lacoste Ladies open from France will return to Chantaco during the first week of October 2017. See you in a year!