Clemson, SC—Former Clemson All-American Alice Hewson won the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open on the Ladies European Golf Tour on Sunday with a birdie on the first playoff hole to defeat Tvesa Malik of India. Hewson won the event at the Golfpark Holzhausern course just outside of Zurich, Switzerland.
It was the second career tournament victory on the LET Tour for Hewson, who won her first LET event back in 2020. With the victory Hewson moved up to number-five on the tour’s point standing for this season.Hewson began the day three shots back of the lead and was still three shots back starting the back nine after playing the front nine in one-under-par. But the holder of 25 Clemson records made birdie on the 12th and 15th holes, then holed out from a green side bunker in “slam dunk fashion” for eagle on the 17th hole. It was the 21st eagle of her career, her fifth this season.
Hewson then hit her approach shot to the 18th hole to two feet and made the putt for a final round, bogey free 65 and an 11-under-par total for the week. That gave her a one shot lead at the time, but Malik was on a strong finishing run herself. Malik also made an eagle from the green side bunker on the 17th hole, then made a 10-foot putt for birdie on 18 to finish at 11- under par. She played her last four holes of regulation in five-under-par to force the playoff.
The two players returned to the 18th tee for the start of sudden death extra holes. Hewson had birdied the hole all three rounds, and hit her approach on the playoff hole to 10 feet. Malik missed the green on her approach to give Hewson the advantage.
The 2018 Clemson graduate who is still the only four-time first-team All-ACC golfer in Clemson women’s history then finished the playoff with a birdie putt that had a foot break to the right. Hewson had rounds of 68-69-65 for a 202 total in regulation.
“I’m a little bit lost for words really,” Hewson said “Huge congrats to Tvesa as well. It was an unreal finish from her today. It was an honor being out there with her in the playoff. It feels a bit surreal. It’s been a while since I’ve been in this situation.
Alexandra Swayne, who played at Clemson from 2018-21 before turning professional after her junior year, finished 10th in the tournament with a score of 207 after a final round 67. It was Swayne’s third career top 10 on the LET Tour, and her third top 15 of this season. It marked the first time two former Clemson golfers finished in the top 10 of an LET event.
