It seemingly happened so fast. Bronte Law shut the door on what had been a back-and-forth shootout under the lights at the Dubai Moonlight Classic with an eagle on the 16th hole and an absolute dart on the par-3 17th (her last due to the shotgun start) that was so good, she didn’t even need to watch.
Maria Fassi, who looked on the brink of winning all day, surely didn’t know what hit her.
The day started with 19 players within six shots of the lead over the Faldo Course at Emirates Golf Club and ended with Law carding an 8-under 64 to claim her first victory on the Ladies European Tour. Law finished at 15 under for the 54-hole tournament, edging Fassi by one stroke.
Germany’s Esther Henseleit finished alone in third at 12 under.
“It’s a bit of a blur really,” said Law. “I just went out and was trying to post a number. I said to my caddie, Ken, yesterday, ‘Let’s go out and try to shoot 7 under tomorrow.’ And I’ve gone one better.
“It’s a bit surreal right now, actually,” she said. “I’m just so happy to be back here (in the winner’s circle). It’s been a while.”
How’s that for a shot under pressure?@brontemaylaw puts one hand on the trophy with that approach on 17
#RaiseOurGame | #MoonlightClassic pic.twitter.com/S63wijCPDh
— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) October 29, 2021
This week marked Law’s seventh in a row. There was a time, she said, that she couldn’t play three in a row due to back pain.
“It’s hard when things aren’t going your way and you feel like the world is against you,” said Law, “but I’ve got a lot of people that have stuck by me, and I owe them a lot.”
Law, who was a hero at the 2019 Solheim Cup, didn’t make the 2021 European team.
“I don’t think people understand how hard it is to be an athlete and the scrutiny that you’re under,” said Law. “You question yourself at times, and it’s so hard to pull yourself back through that, but I’ve trusted the process and obviously it’s working.”
For a while, it looked like Fassi might be headed back to LPGA Q-Series this year. But the former NCAA champ from Arkansas pulled it together after surgery and a string of missed cuts to finish fifth at the ShopRite LPGA Classic and T-15 at the Amundi Evian Championship. She’s currently 86th in the CME Rankings. The top 100 keep their cards for 2022.
“I think I played good golf all week,” said Fassi, who shot 63-71-68, “but Bronte shot 8 under today. It’s never nice to lose, but to lose when she played like that, she very much deserved to be crowned champion today.”