Bronte Law burnishes Solheim Cup chances with blistering run into a play-off for Mediheal Championship
Bronte Law’s remarkable resurrection on Sunday night was not quite enough to deliver her first LPGA Tour victory, but the Englishwoman’s best performance as a professional has brought a Solheim Cup debut into tantalising focus.
The 24-year-old started the final round of the Mediheal Championship in 20th position on level par and was simply playing for a commendable finish at Lake Merced just south of San Francisco. But five birdies in six holes from the seventh made her raise her ambitions somewhat and then an eagle on the par-five 15th thrust her into giddying contention.
Law was soon joined in the clubhouse on seven-under by Lee6 Jeong-eun and then had a long wait to see if overnight leader, another Korean Kim Sei-young, could better the total. And despite a 75 in which her game unravelled, Kim courageously birdied the 18th to make the shootout and then birdied the first extra hole for an eighth LPGA crown.
To have come so close to what would have been a record Tour comeback was understandably galling for Law, but the fact she had a booked a flight back to her Arizona home before the final group was due to finish showed how unexpected this was.
“If someone had told me I was going to be in a play-off at the start of the day, I would have told them that they were crazy,” Law, whose previous best result in the paid ranks was sixth, said. “So, the reality is I did something that I wouldn't have even believed at the start of the day. So, there’s a lot to take from that. I will build on this experience.”
The cheque for more than £100,000 was obviously welcome, as was the rise up the Solheim standings. Law moved into the top five who will qualify automatically for the match at Gleneagles in September and the mission now will be to stay there until the August cut-off. “That’s huge,” Law said. “I went to Ladies European Tour Q-School for a reason. That made me eligible and I really want to make that team.”
It was a fine Californian day all round for England, with Charley Hull finishing in a tie for fourth.
