Law and Boutier claim Vic Open titles

Scotland’s David Law eagled the final hole in dramatic style as he a three-shot deficit in the final three holes to win his first European Tour title at the ISPS Handa Vic Open.

France’s Celine Boutier won the women’s title – which ran alongside the men, with the same prize money – by two shots.

Law overturned a three shot deficit in the final few holes, birdieing the 16th before draining an eight-footer on the par-5 last to win on 18 under.

The 27-year-old former Scottish Boys and Amateur champion was playing a mix of Wilson Staff FG Tour V6 and C300 irons (4-PW), a FG Tour V4 utility 3-iron and a 52° PMP RAW wedge and the new Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero driver.

Overnight leader Wade Ormsby doubled 17  and missed his eagle chance on the 18th to force a play-off.

The tournament is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and LPGA and features men and women playing on the same courses at the same time, for equal prize money.

Boutier carded a final-round 72 to hold off Australians Sarah Kemp (65) and Su Oh (74), while Thomas closed with a 69 and overnight leader Kim Kaufman slumped to a 78 to finish four shots adrift.

Law said: “To have won, it sort of changes things a little bit.

“It’s massive. It’s not something I expected. For me just being out here playing on the European Tour was enough.

“I’ve been loving the four events I’ve played so far and to just be a European Tour player was what I was happy with. I’ll go home, reflect a little bit on things and reassess.

“We said we were going to try to finish three-two-four in the hope that we could get a top-three finish. Then birdie 16, par 17, and going down the last we said we need eagle. We make eagle, we post at 18 under, you never know what can happen.”

Boutier added: “I’m so excited. I’ve been working really hard for the past two years, and I’m just so happy that I was able to get my first win. I’m happy, too, with the way I handled myself today. I was struggling a little bit in the beginning, but I just held on and kept fighting until the end.

“At the beginning, I was just super nervous, stressed and anxious, and I kept missing cuts,” says the 25-year-old, only the second Duke graduate to win on the LPGA Tour (joining Brittany Lang), and the fourth golfer from France (but first since 2003). “I was focusing too much on results, and I didn’t feel like I belonged out there. Now I do.”