Turning professional just last month, Beth Coulter has enjoyed a fine start in the paid ranks, already earning a victory on the Ladies European Tour Access Series.
Claiming a maiden win at the Women's Irish Challenge last week, another playoff stood between her and a second straight victory on the circuit.
However, what followed can only be described as bizarre, with Coulter missing out on the win in a rather peculiar way.
Finishing five-over-par at the CSK Steel Women’s Open in Denmark, following rounds of 70, 76 and 75, Coulter found herself in a three-way playoff alongside Moa Svedenskiold and amateur Lena Geier.
At the first playoff hole, both Svedenskiold and Coulter made par, while Geier bogeyed. This eliminated the German, with the playoff going from three to two.
Shortly after the elimination of Geier, at the second playoff hole, the Swede made par from the thick rough that was next to the greenside bunker, while Coulter narrowly missed her par attempt and picked up her golf ball.
This handed the trophy to Svedenskiold, or so we thought...
After the celebrations on the 18th green, Svedenskiold was informed by a Rules Official that she had been assessed a two-stroke penalty for unlawfully building a stance in the bunker, which meant her score went from a par to a double bogey.
Although Coulter would have made the bogey and won, the fact she picked up her golf ball meant she was assessed a one-shot penalty, with the Irishwoman forced to replace her ball and tap-in to keep the playoff going.
Further drama followed as Svedenskiold made a bogey at the third playoff hole, despite hitting her tee shot into the penalty area.
Eventually, at the fourth time of asking, Svedenskiold was able to make an up-and-down for par to defeat Coulter, as the 22-year-old earned her second win on the LET Access Series, two months after her first at the Ladies German Challenge.
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"It’s been a long day, so I’m exhausted," explained Svedenskiold, who added "Obviously really, really proud of how I handled it.
"I was standing in the bunker. The ball was outside in the rough. I took my stance, I hit the shot and made par. Beth missed her putt for par, and I thought I won.
"Back on the 18th, I was just trying to stay calm. I was trying to stay in myself and trust my game. Obviously it was confusing at first, but then the ruling…
"There was an official behind me, so I was okay, I’ll just continue trying to stay patient and played my game and ended up winning."
Both Svedenskiold and Coulter improved their rankings in the LET Access Series Order of Merit significantly, with the former moving to the top of the standings, while Coulter is now sixth.
The duo are on-course for Rookie of the Year honors but, crucially, both are also on-course for Ladies European Tour cards, which are handed to the top seven players in the Order of Merit at the end of the season.
