Nocera carries it off at Carrick

May 4 2008 Euan Mclean

ICE-COOL Gwladys Nocera held her nerve to fight off a late onslaught and lift the Ladies Scottish Open title yesterday.

The two-time Solheim Cup star had led at The Carrick since day one but saw her supremacy put to the test when she went down the last just one ahead of Swede Maria Boden.

But French star Nocera's response couldn't have been better as she smashed a huge drive to within 90 yards of the green and rolled home a superb 20-foot birdie putt to lift the trophy in style.

Her final round of 69 was matched by Boden, who also birdied the last, but a total of five-under 208 on a testing Loch Lomond layout was too hot to handle for the rest of the field.

Nocera was thrilled by her display but revealed she didn't have time to celebrate her sixth tournament victory in just over two years because she was dashing for a flight at the crack of dawn.

She said: "I have to drive to Edinburgh to catch my flight to the next event in Turkey at 6.30 so I can't celebrate until I get there.

"I am delighted with the win and the way I finished it. There were a lot of good scores and the hardest thing I had to deal with was the fact they were already finished playing.

"That's more difficult, I feel, than when you are playing with girls who are challenging you.

"When I got to the 18th tee I saw on the leaderboard that Maria had made birdie so I just thought, 'make your par and you are done'. It was a pretty big drive and probably not the shot to hit in those circumstances but it worked out well.

"I think the wind was helping and a bit of adrenalin as well pushed it further on."

Nocera has been red-hot all week. Even before the tournament began she was in impressive form, chipping in twice in her pro-am round and helping her hacker team-mates to a third-place finish.

That hot streak got better as the temperature dropped yesterday and it took a commanding performance as a string of challengers - including Boden, Rebecca Hudson and, for a short while, Scotland's Kathryn Imrie - pushed her hard.

Imrie's early threat fell apart in spectacular style when she twice found water on the parfour fourth and was left with only the title of joint top Scot as meagre consolation for what might have been.

But fellow leading Scot Clare Queen was happy with her week and sixth equal was her best as a pro.

She and Imrie earned a luxury weekend at the Cameron House Hotel as an extra prize for their level-par score.

But for Coatbridge star Queen the real prize is further evidence her breakthrough first tournament win is edging ever closer.

Queen, 25, said: "It's been a great week and I'm really happy with the way I've played.

"There's always a little bit more expectation when you are at home and it has just come down to a few putts really.

"I'm disappointed in a way because I felt I could have holed more out there today but I suppose it's nice to be able to say that when I've just finished top 10.

"It's a good sign of my progress and I feel closer to winning now. Today was probably the first time I have gone out in the last couple of groups and had a chance.

"I felt like I handled the pressure well and I need to experience that more so I know the next time how to deal with it and win."