The final round of the European Senior Men’s and Ladies’ Championships culminated with a dramatic finish at Kikuoka Country Club on Saturday.
A sunny day started with two players having clear advantages at the top of both leaderboards. Andreas Bauer (SUI) and Jannicke Nielsen Bakken (NOR) had five and four shot leads respectively with just 18 holes to play.
Both leaders struggled on the opening nine of the last day however, quickly bringing the chasing packs back into contention.
The men’s championship would have to be decided by a three-way playoff after Rodrigo Lacerda Soares (FRA), Joe Lyons (IRL) and Declan O’Neill (IRL) all finished on -3.
Playing the par-3 10th in front of the clubhouse, all three players made par on the first playoff hole. The second time around, Lacerda Soares holed a four-metre birdie putt to clinch the title in his first appearance in the event.
The European gold medal is the 50-year-old’s second, having won the European Mid-Amateur Men’s Championship in Switzerland four years ago. The win also marks the first time a French player has won the senior men’s title in the event’s 29-year history.
On matching scorecards, Joe Lyons took home the silver medal while Declan O’Neill was awarded the bronze.
In the ladies’ championship, Belgium’s Annick Riff came out on top. The 61-year-old, who also took home the prize for 60-and-overs, started the day in fifth position and six shots behind the leader.
A two-over-par 74 featuring three birdies, the tied lowest round of the day, left her on top of the leaderboard at the end of the day after all players ahead of her were unable to match the score. She becomes the first Belgian player to lift the senior ladies’ trophy.
France’s Hélène Malvy (+11) and Germany’s Alexandra Kölker (+12) completed the podium after starting the day in a tie for 10th position.
