Tinning crowned Omega Dubai Ladies Masters Champion
Omega Dubai ladies Masters Day 4 – Iben Tinning reserved her best for last. The former European champion, playing her last competitive event, made a solid charge down the stretch to win the 2010 Omega Dubai Ladies Masters at the Emirates Golf Club on Saturday.
The genial Dane couldn't have asked for a better finish to a career spanning 15 years when she sunk a 20-footer for a birdie for a back-to-back 69 to go 11-under for the tournament, a good two shots ahead of second-placed Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and three of England's Melissa Reid, who gave her good fight before fading away in the closing stages.
First round leader Florentyna Parker of England and Christina Kim of the United States were tied for the fourth on six under 282.
The tournament's top-draw Michelle Wie made a stunning charge up the leaderboard with a bogey-free 67 – the final day's best score – but still came up short and had to settle for tied fifth place along with defending champion In-Kyung Kim of South Korea.
Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, wife of Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, presented the elegant trophy to Tinning. Mohamed Juma Buamaim, Vice Chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi, Raynald Aeschlimann, Vice President, OMEGA, and Mohamed Yahya of Dubal were also present.
It was a fairytale ending to Tinning's career that held the spotlight. With her husband Lasse in the bag, Tinning made the turn tied for the lead with Melissa Reid at nine under, but back-to-back birdies on the 10th and 11th saw her establish a clear three-shot lead as Reid bogeyed the 10th.
Reid, the winner of the Turkish Airlines Open, however, refused to give up. She birdied the 13th to narrow the gap to two and then a bogey on the 15th by Tinning further reduced her lead to just one shot with three holes to play. Tinning held firm when it mattered most to seal the title in style while Reid dropped three shots in the back nine for a closing 72.
That mistake-laden back nine by Reid allowed Nordqvist, who shot a 70 with a birdie in each half, to move to the second place. But, in the end, it was Tinning who came out with a grin of pride lighting up her face.
"I just can't believe it that I have won. The feeling is just amazing," said Tinning who is stepping out of competitive golf to what she called "balance life and family" after spending so many years on the tour. "I really tried to keep strong out there and it was tough sometimes.
{flv}111210tinningwin{/flv}
"Winning my last tournament is kind of a great gift for all those who helped me in shaping my career – my parents, my husband, everybody. I have no plans to reconsider my decision of retiring. It's really not an option. I am on so many painkillers and playing golf is no more fun," who received a cheque for euro 75,000 for her efforts.
"Winning in Dubai had been my main goal and that has been accomplished. My next goal is get a diploma in psychotherapy. That's main thing at the moment."
With three top ten finishes from four previous appearances in Dubai, the tournament holds a special place in her heart and she will remember the tearful ending to her 2007 campaign when she tied for second behind Annika Sorenstam.
Her title hopes drowned in the lake as her ball found the water in front of the 18th green resulting in a double bogey, but, as she said on Friday, that she believed in fairytale endings.
Indeed, winning the last event of her career and that too in a field which comprised big guns like Michelle Wie, In-Kyung Kim and Laura Davies was nothing short of a fairytale.
