The Englishwoman Mimi Rhodes continues her dazzling debut season on the Ladies European Tour after securing her third victory in just four tournaments this Sunday. Rhodes, a Brit raised in Andalucía, triumphed at the Dutch Ladies Open at the Goyer Golf & Country Club with a score of -9, two strokes ahead of her closest competitors.
With this victory, Rhodes consolidates her lead in both the Race to Costa del Sol and the Rookie of the Year standings, confirming she is one of the great revelations of European and world golf in 2024.
Rhodes, 23, began the final day tied at the top of the leaderboard with the Spaniard Nuria Iturrioz and the Italian Alessia Nobilio. With a solid round that included three birdies, the Englishwoman managed to pull away in the final stretch. “It’s incredible. I’m struggling to find the words to express how happy I am right now. It’s very exciting,” Rhodes declared after being crowned champion. The young golfer kept her composure even on the decisive holes: “On the 18th green, I was actually thinking about what I was going to have for dinner, so I wasn’t too stressed. I knew I had a two-stroke lead and just needed to make par. It all still feels like a dream,” she commented.
Despite the more benign conditions compared to previous days, Rhodes was aware of the level of challenge: “There was less wind, so I thought many would make birdies, as indeed happened. Brianna Navarrosa had a great round. I was following the leaderboard on my phone. I knew that if I made a mistake, everything could change quickly.”
Rhodes was accompanied this week by her brother and her fiancé, a key support for her: “It was very nice to have them here. I didn’t think I was going to cry because I didn’t in my other two victories, but when he hugged me, I got very emotional. I love being with my family, and having them here means a lot to me.”
As part of her pre-competition routine, the Englishwoman went for a run in the nearby town of Hilversum before the final round: “I’ve developed a little routine. If I’m leading, I have to go for a run. I did it in Australia too. Although I’ve been a bit jet-lagged this week from the trip from Korea, I felt good today. It was a short run to clear my mind and see a bit more of the Netherlands.”
Regarding the celebrations, Rhodes is clear: “I don’t think I’m going to celebrate too much tonight, as next week we have the Jabra Ladies Open, but we’ll surely have a good time and enjoy it a bit.”
Good Spanish performance in the Netherlands
From a Spanish perspective, Luna Sobrón Galmés once again showed her consistency on the circuit, finishing in a notable fourth position (-6), tied with Ayako Uehara (Japan), Momoka Kobori (New Zealand), and Alessia Nobilio (Italy). The Mallorcan thus concluded a solid week that consolidates her among the most regular players on the LET this season.
For her part, Nuria Iturrioz, who started as co-leader with Rhodes at the beginning of the final day, couldn’t maintain the pace in the decisive stretch and finished outside the top 10. Even so, her presence in the title fight confirms her good form and competitive potential.
Navarrosa and Van Dam complete the podium
The American Brianna Navarrosa, also a rookie, and the Dutchwoman Anne van Dam, the local favourite, shared the second position with -7, after delivering final rounds of great quality. Van Dam was also in the news this week for being named captain of the European team for the Ping Junior Solheim Cup 2026.
Rhodes, more of a leader than ever
With this third triumph, Mimi Rhodes now has 1,546.88 points in the LET ranking, well ahead of the Englishwoman Cara Gainer (952.18) and Perrine Delacour (730.75). She also leads the Rookie of the Year standings, followed by the Swede Kajsa Arwefjall and Brianna Navarrosa.
Next stop: France
The LET now heads to France, where the Jabra Ladies Open will be held from May 22 to 24 at the Evian Resort Golf Club.
