Teen sensation Anna Huang came from six shots off pace to win the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco after firing a sensational seven-under 66 to claim her third Ladies European Tour title.
The 17-year-old Canadian carded six birdies and one eagle on Royal Golf Dar Es Salam’s Blue Course to pip overnight leader Kelsey Bennett to the title by one shot on 14-under par.
Huang’s victory follows an impressive few weeks after she qualified for the US Women’s Open a fortnight ago and finished third at the Amundi German Masters last week.
The win is Huang’s third on the LET in just eight months after she won back-to-back titles in September at the La Sella Open and Lacoste Ladies Open de France.
At just 17 years, six months and 24 days old, she also becomes the youngest player to reach three victories in LET history, surpassing Jeeno Thitikul’s previous record who was 18-years-old.
“I’m honestly just so shocked right now,” Huang said. “I didn’t know where I was on the leaderboard – I was just trying to stay patient and make pars in the last few holes. But it ended up being the win for me.”
Six behind Bennett before the start of play, the young star got off to the hottest of starts in Rabat, birdying her opening hole before carding an eagle at the par-5 2nd.
Huang then reeled off four birdies in a row at 5, 6, 7 and 8 to move to seven-under through eight holes, one off Bennett’s tally.
The Canadian would bogey the 9th to go out in 31 before adding another birdie to her scorecard at the 14th.
Bennett meanwhile moved three clear with four birdies in 10 holes, before dropping shots at the 12th and 16th to help Huang draw level.
With the 17-year-old in the clubhouse at 14-under par, it all came down to the difficult 18th hole for Bennett. The Australian’s tee shot would find the fairway bunker forcing her to layup. Despite a tidy third shot in, Bennett’s par putt would miss left, handing Huang the win.
With Bennett finishing second, USA’s Anna Morgan and Italy’s Anna Zanusso ended the week T3 on 10-under par. Slovenia’s Pia Babnik, solo second before the start of play, rounded out the top five placings on nine under.
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