BBC SPORT | Golf | Gottmo win eclipsed by cup confusion

Sweden's Asa Gottmo won the �60,000 first prize at the WPGA Championship of Europe in Wales thanks to a final round 71.

But the real drama of the day at Royal Porthcawl came as the race for the seven automatic Solheim Cup selections reached its conclusion.

Maria Hjorth of Sweden played her way into the team after finishing second in this the final qualifying tournament.

But there was confusion as she finished on 125 points and tied for seventh in the rankings with Denmark's Iben Tinning.

She had collected two points for sharing a three-way tie for joint 10th.

It wouldn't be fair to have a play-off, and I wanted them both in

Solheim Cup captain Dale Reid

With nothing in the rules to cover the situation, it was decided that both players would be selected.

As a result, captain Dale Reid's number of wild cards from five to four.

The guaranteed places went to:

Annika Sorenstam (Swe), Raquel Carriedo (Spa), Karine Icher (Fra), Paula Marti (Spa), Sophie Gustafson (Swe), Suzann Pettersen (Nor) plus Hjorth and Tinning.

England's Laura Davies, who has played in the first six Solheims, gets one of the wild-card places.

Reid's other two choices are Swedes Carin Koch and Helen Alfredsson.

The event takes place in Minnesota, America from 20-22 September.

Gottmo finished with a seven under par total of 285 to clinch her first win on Tour for nine years.

English rookie, Kirsty Taylor, was in third place on four under after a 71.

Britain's Johanna Head, the three-shot overnight leader, threw away her advantage with three bogeys in a row from the second and two more at the sixth and seventh.

This day has been a long time coming

Winner Asa Gottmo

She went on to shoot 79 and finished tied sixth on two under.

But it was the confusion over the rankings that overshadowed the championship, and Reid was as perplexed as anyone.

"I suddenly realised about half an hour before the end of the championship that there could be a tie," said Reid.

"But it wouldn't be fair to have a play-off, and I wanted them both in."

Gottmo, unconcerned by the Solheim hassle, said: "It feels fantastic. This day has been a long time coming."

Selected final round scores and totals from the WPGA Championship of Europe, Royal Porthcawl, Wales (Gbr and Irl unless stated):

285 Asa Gottmo (Swe) 76 69 69 71 (�60,000)
287 Maria Hjorth (Swe) 74 73 68 72 (�40,600)
288 Kirsty S Taylor 75 72 70 71 (�28,000)
289 Helen Alfredsson (Swe) 72 77 71 69, Nicola Moult 78 73 68 70
290 Claire Duffy 67 76 76 71, Becky Morgan 73 72 72 73, Virginie Auffret (Fra) 71 72 73 74, Johanna Head 72 68 71 79


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