She started her round with three consecutive birdies on Sunday, and Paula Reto (pictured) eventually signed for a two-under-par 71 in the final round of the ISPS HANDA World Invitational at Galgorm Castle in Country Antrim, Northern Ireland.
That took her to a share of 17th on eight-under-par for the tournament, eight shots out of the play-off between Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand and American Emma Talley. Anannarukarn won on the second play-off hole.
Reto followed those three early birdies with a trio of bogeys on four, six and eight, but she got back two of those shots with birdies on 12 and 14. In the end, it was good putting which kept her inside the top 20 for the tournament, as she hit just seven of 14 fairways off the tees and nine of the 18 greens in regulation.
With European Tour, Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour status and a field of 288 men and women competing for equal prize money, the World Invitational was the first event of its kind in the northern hemisphere, and Galgorm produced nail-biting climaxes to both competitions.
Justin Harding was six back at the end of the third round, and he closed with a one-under 69 to claim a share of seventh behind the winner Daniel Gavins of England. Harding finished at 10-under for the tournament, just three off the pace.
Harding made two birdies on his front nine, but he dropped shots on the 12th and 17th, which slowed any possible charge he might have made to the top of the leaderboard. He made birdie on 18 to make sure he finishes inside the top 10.
Gavins carded a bogey-free final round of 65 to claim his maiden European Tour title. David Horsey put himself in pole position to claim his first win in six years with a two-shot lead at the turn only to suffer a back-nine collapse.
Jacques Kruyswijk had a good week, and he closed with a three-under 67 to finish in a share of 11th.
