Silver lining to Heather MacRae’s meltdown

HEATHER MacRae has boosted her hopes of earning a step up to the Ladies European Tour next season despite being unable to hold on to the lead in the final round of the Costa Blanca Ladies Open.

Heather MacRae in action. Picture: Phil Wilkinson

Two ahead at the start of the day, the Gleneagles Hotel player slumped to a closing nine-over-par 81 to finish joint-ninth in the LET Access Series event, which was won by Spaniard Mireia Prat.

However, MacRae is up to fifth on the development circuit’s Order of Merit and will earn a card for the LET if she can retain that position after next week’s final event of the season in Turkey.

“I am so sorry to anyone cheering for me today and watching live scoring,” wrote the Scot on Twitter in reference to her disastrous start that saw her cover the opening seven holes at Font del Llop Golf Resort in Alicante in nine-over-par.

Musselburgh’s Vikki Laing finished as the leading Scot on the Costa Blanca, where a closing 76 earned her a share of fifth. Laura Murray, the only other Scot to survive the 36-hole cut, was 25th after a final-round 82.