GOLF:REBECCA COAKLEY was just four holes from victory in the Ladies Scottish Open yesterday, before seven dropped shots in three holes sent the Irish girl sliding down the leaderboard.

Coakley held a two-stroke lead on three-under par after 14 holes of the final round at Archerfield Links, but took an eight on the par-four 15th, doubled the 16th and bogeyed the 17th.

She eventually ended tied for eighth place with Stacy Lee Bregman on four-over after a round of 75.

“Obviously I’m disappointed, but more with my luck,” said Coakley.

Virginie Lagoutte-Clement ended her four-year wait for a title with a final-round 71.

The 31-year-old from France claimed a one-stroke victory ahead of South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace and English pair Sophie Walker and Trish Johnson as windy conditions took their toll on the scoring.

Elsewhere, Cork’s Gillian O’Leary rose five places on the leaderboard in the British ladies Open stroke-play championship at rain-lashed Tenby on the West Wales coast yesterday.

Thunderstorms forced play to be suspended for two-and-a-half hours in the morning and LGU officials curtailed the tournament to a 54-hole affair as more bad weather threatened.

O’Leary started the day in joint 20th place but rose to 15th after returning an 80 at the same time as most of the field struggled badly in the conditions.

She had a triple bogey seven at the fourth and two double-bogeys but a homeward half score of 37 helped her to respectability as she finishing on 236 – 20 over par.

Last year’s champion Danielle McVeigh finished a stroke back on 237 after rounds of 81, 77 and 79, her final round containing eight bogeys, one birdie and nine pars.

Scotland’s Curtis Cup star Pamela Pretswell is the new champion after posting a 54-hole aggregate of 218, two over par. She finished three strokes ahead of Welsh promising teenager Amy Boulden.