Loveys lands a fourth title

Tracy Loveys held her nerve to claim an unprecedented fourth Titleist & FootJoy Women’s PGA Professional Championship title at Burnham & Berrow.

Loveys, from Bigbury Golf Club in Devon, was already the most successful lady in the tournament’s history with three victories recorded consecutively each year between 2008 and 2010.

And that experience ultimately proved to be priceless as she found herself battling for the lead with Ladies European Tour regular Lucy Williams over the back nine.

Both women were level going onto the back nine and could not be separated until Loveys landed an excellent chip on the green and holed for a vital, championship-winning birdie.

That left her with a two-day four-over-par total of 152, enough to finish one shot clear of Mid Herts pro Williams and claim the £1,000 first prize.

“To be honest it still hasn’t sunk in,” she admitted in the clubhouse after her round.

“I’m a bit shocked to have won, it was difficult out there and I didn’t get the same bits of luck as I did yesterday.

“At times I felt like I was trying to throw it away – but that’s what this course does to you.

“But it is an honour to win this event for the fourth time, especially after finishing runner up a few times recently too.

Loveys’ victory came around a testing Burnham & Berrow course, which both Christy O’Connor and Justin Rose have secured tournament wins over, that was celebrating its 125^th anniversary.

The two-day, £5,000 championship, which runs parallel to the men’s event, was being held at the south-west venue for the first time.

Suzanne Dickens won last time out at Blairgowrie but she was unable to trouble the leaders, finishing the event third on eight-over-par despite two birdies at the end of her round.

Loveys will return for another crack at the testing links next week to play in the Lombard Trophy regional final.