Germany’s Leonie Harm with the Amundi German Masters Trophy in Hamburg on Sunday, her maiden professional title and a result that capped years of pain and struggle. Image courtesy ladieseuropeantour.com.
By Rahul Banerji
By the time Aaron Rai scripted his epochal PGA Championship victory in Philadelphia on Sunday, another significant win by Leonie Harm had slipped almost unnoticed under the radar across the Atlantic.
Harm, 29, sank birdies on her final two holes at the Amundi German Masters for her maiden Ladies European Tour title on the North Course at Green Eagle Golf Courses near Hamburg.
The German, who started with a course record 8 under 65, closed with a 4 under 69 to total 10 under par, one ahead of clubhouse leader Cassandra Alexander of South Africa.
In between, Harm recorded rounds of 2 over 75 and level par 73 but her final day display was an unstoppable one, and punctuated what must rank as one of the most courageous comebacks in recent golf history.
At 15, Harm was run over in a car accident and given very little chance to survive having suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung, skull and ankle fractures and a broken rib. Doctors had given her a one par cent chance of survival.
Burt she returned to golf and a year later, had won the national amateur title. Covid happened shortly after turning professional by which time she had completed university studies in Houston.
Hard times
Two years of near-misses followed in 2021 and 2022, and she almost gave up on the game two years ago but was persuaded to return again. And on Sunday, she capped those difficult years with her maiden LET title.
“I’m really happy I got it over the line this time after coming close in 2022 and just out here with all the German fans,”Harm told the LET website.
“So many people came out to support and that just means a lot.
“It was a great tournament, and we had a bunch of Germans in the mix, so that was a reason for a lot of people to come out which is just amazing for women’s golf overall and women’s golf in Germany.”
On her struggles of the past, Harm added: “Resilience is a good thing, and I have shown this at times.
“But I believe right now I’m in a good spot mentally and for it to then be paired with success in golf is such a great feeling because I didn’t have to be miserable.
“I could’ve been happy this whole time and it would have worked with a lot of the times where you get impatient and to be more forgiving to yourself.
“A good takeaway there is to be your own best friend eventually and hopefully then be successful in working with yourself rather than against it which I’ve done for probably most of my life.”
Steady climb
Harm set out on Sunday tied for fourth and gained steadily on the leaders after her only bogey that came on the front nine. But a birdie before the turn and two quickly thereafter pulled her into contention.
After Alexander had finished and the other challengers faded, Harm birdied holes 17 and 18 to emerge winner, the final-hole putt encapsulating her determined spirit.
There was a three-way tie for third behind Alexander with Canada’s Anna Huang and Germany’s Chiara Noja and Alexandra Försterling finishing on 7 under.
Avani Prashanth, the only Indian to make the cut at the German Masters, closed with a bogey-free 71 to share 49th place.
Next on the LET schedule is the Lalla Meryem Cup at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Morocco from May 21 to 23.
Also read: Ridhima Dilawari rallies at Wishtown to win season’s third title
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