Golf: Te Awamutu's Scott third in Italian open

10.00am

Te Awamutu golfer Gina Scott capped off another good week on the women's tour to finish third in the La Perla Italian Open in Tuscany yesterday.

Scott finished on nine-under after a closing round of four-under 69.

Scott, the joint leader after the first round, looked set to continue her pattern of fading after a strong start when she racked up four bogeys in the last five holes of the second round to slip to fifth.

She fell further back to ninth after the third round, before a superb recovery in the final 18 holes for her third top 10 finish of the season.

Denmark's Ibex Tinning snared her second tour title in two weeks and leads the 2002 Evian Tour order of merit after defeating Italian Silvia Cavalier in a tense battle during the final round.

The 28-year-old from Copenhagen fired a final round three-under par 70 to finish on 14-under and pip the local favourite by a shot.

Tinning received £17,550 ($NZ56,000) for her win, and the honour of being the first back-to-back winner since Sandrine Mendiburu in 1999.

Australian Karen Lunn took sole possession of fourth place, backing up her third-round course record 64 with a one-under par 72 yesterday.

New Zealand's Lynnette Brooky tied for 27th place, while Catherine Knight failed to make the cut.

Scores:

278 Iben Tinning (Denmark) 69 69 70 70

280 Silvia Cavalleri (Italy) 68 70 69 72

283 Gina Scott (New Zealand) 67 74 73 69

284 Karen Lunn (Australia) 77 71 64 72

285 Samantha Head (England) 74 72 70 69, Trish Johnson (England) 73 72 69,
71, Asa Gottmo (Sweden) 71 70 72 72

Also:

291 Lynnette Brooky (New Zealand) 72 73 75 71

- NZPA