Klára Spilková Explained

Klára Davidson Spilková
Birth Date:15 December 1994
Birth Place:Prague, Czech Republic
Height:168 cm
Yearpro:2011
Tour:Ladies European Tour (joined 2011)
LPGA Tour (joined 2019)
Prowins:2
Letwins:2
Nabisco:WD: 2020
Lpga:T70: 2017
Wusopen:CUT: 2018
Wbritopen:T50: 2018
Evian:T55: 2015

Klára Davidson Spilková (born 15 December 1994) is a Czech professional golfer who plays on the Ladies European Tour (LET).[1] [2] She won the 2017 Lalla Meryem Cup and the 2022 Women's Irish Open.

Early life and amateur career

Spilková had a successful amateur career after she was introcued to golf by her older brother Lukas at the age of four. She won the European Young Masters in 2009, and won both the Czech Women's Amateur and the German Girls Open back to back in 2009 and 2010. In 2010 she won the Austrian Women's Amateur.

She lost the final of the 2009 French International Lady Juniors Amateur Championship (Trophée Esmond) 1 up to Leona Maguire. Her performance helped her qualify for the continental team, and she represented Europe at the 2009 Junior Solheim Cup and the 2010 Junior Ryder Cup.

In 2010, at only fifteen, she made her first LET start at the Allianz Ladies Slovak Open, but missed the cut by two strokes. 

Professional career

Spilková turned professional in 2011 at age 16 and joined the Ladies European Tour. She was 7th in the Rolex Rookie of the Year standings, behind winner Caroline Hedwall. She finished tied sixth in the 2013 ISPS Handa Ladies European Masters and at the 2014 Turkish Ladies Open. In 2015, she tied for 4th at the Ladies Scottish Open.[3] [4]

In 2017, Spilková became the first Czech winner on the LET with her victory at the Lalla Meryem Cup.[5]

Spilková finished fourth at the inaugural LPGA Tour Q-Series to earn a card for 2019. Over the next three seasons she finished 140, 100 and 127th in the rankings, with a best finish of tied 8th at the 2020 Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio.

As the highest ranked Czech golfer, she represented her country at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and finished tied 48th and 23rd.

In 2022, Spilková rejoined the LET. She was runner-up at the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open, a stroke behind compatritot Jana Melichová. She then secured her second LET victory with a birdie at the first playoff hole at the KPMG Women's Irish Open, seeing off Finland’s Ursula Wikström and Denmark’s Nicole Broch Estrup.[6]

Personal life

Spilková married Sean Davidson in 2022. He is an Italian American teacher at the Faculty of Law of Charles University in Prague.[7] He was a college golfer at Davidson College. They met on the golf course. Davidson has been a caddie for Klara occasionally, including at the Olympics in Tokyo. He also has been a caddie for his brother Matt, who is a former PGA Tour player.[8]

Amateur wins

Professional wins (2)

Ladies European Tour wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner-upWinner's
share ()
116 Apr 2017Lalla Meryem Cup69-74-71-66=280−81 stroke Suzann Pettersen67,500
225 Sep 2022KPMG Women's Irish Open66-68-73-67=274−14Playoff Ursula Wikström
Nicole Broch Estrup
60,000

Team appearances

Amateur

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Golfistka Spilková zakončila sezonu LET v Dubaji desátým místem . Czech . Mladá fronta DNES . 13 December 2014 . 26 February 2015.
  2. Web site: Golfistka Spilková útočí v Beleku na výhru, před finále vede . Czech . aktualne.cz . 10 May 2014 . 26 February 2015.
  3. Web site: Spilková, 18, achieves best placing yet on golf's Ladies European Tour . Radio Prague . 29 July 2013 . 26 February 2015.
  4. Web site: Spilková na Turkish Open vyrovnala svůj nejlepší výsledek . Czech . Česká televize . 11 May 2014 . 26 February 2015.
  5. News: Klara Spilkova becomes first Czech Republic winner on Ladies European Tour at Lalla Meryem Cup . Sky Sports . Keith . Jackson . 17 April 2017 . 18 April 2017.
  6. Web site: Spilkova Clinches Playoff Victory At KPMG Women's Irish Open . Ladies European Tour . 26 September 2022.
  7. Web site: Tauchen . Monika . A different set of eyes . Klara Spilkova . 17 March 2023.
  8. Web site: Matt Davisdon Bio . PGA Tour . 17 March 2023.