Nicole Garcia closed with an eagle on Saturday to pull off a third place in the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series Jeddah at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia.
After making five birdies and two bogeys, Garcia approached the final hole three shots out of the lead. But she converted her opportunity on the 508-yard par-five to sign for a five-under-par 67 and finish just one shot out of the play-off at 12-under-par.
The play-off was contested by Chiara Noja of Germany and England’s Charley Hull, and was won by Noja on the second extra hole after both players made birdie on the first extra trip down 18.
It was Garcia’s best finish of the season on the tour, after she shared third in the Joburg Open back in March, and her fourth top 10.
She started very well with three birdies on the front nine on two, six and eight. But she made her first bogey on the ninth, and headed through the turn in two-under for the round. She dropped again on the 12th, but headed for home with confidence as she birdied 13 and 15 ahead of her closing eagle.
Lee-Anne Pace also finished strongly, with her closing five-under 67 giving her a share of fifth, three strokes behind the winner. Stacy Bregman and Casandra Alexander shared 21st after they each carded 69 in the final round.
