Germany's Anja Monke claimed her third Ladies European Tour title today with a one-stroke win at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco in her first competition of the season.

Carin Koch headed into the final round a stroke ahead of Monke, Vikki Laing and Melissa Reid, and the Swede remain atop the leaderboard until she dropped shots at the 15th and 17th holes.

Monke, playing in the penultimate group, moved level with Koch at eight under with an eagle at the par-five 16th en route to a three-under 69 and a 54-hole total of eight-under 208 on the Royal Golf Anfa Mohammedia course.

"It is a surprise because I only practised in the winter in snow in Germany," said Monke, who triumphed at the 2008 Open de France and Dubai Ladies Masters.

"I even practised some bunker shots out of the snow, which is probably unbelievable for you. That's what I did."

On the crucial eagle at 16, she added: "It was a good break for me because before I struggled a little bit and I didn't play that well, especially on the front nine. Of course if you have a three-footer for eagle it helps.

"I saw the scoreboard behind it, that I equalled Carin's result at that time. Of course she still had to play number 16 which is a birdie hole, but I thought, 'I am close and we'll see what we get'. I got it!"

Monke, who shot 71 and 68 over the first two days of the tournament, struggled over the front nine with two bogeys at the third and eighth holes. She was out in 37 after a birdie at the seventh.

However, two birdies at the 10th and 12th, followed by an eagle at the 16th, saw her home in 32 and turned her fortunes around.

Koch carded a 71 for her best finish on the LET since the 2004 HP Open in Sweden. France's Virginie Lagoutte-Clement shot 68 and was a stroke further back in third.

England's Henrietta Zuel finished with a 70 to share fourth with Christel Boeljon of Holland (71), who will defend the Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup in a month with compatriot Marjet van der Graaff.

Those in joint sixth place were Germany's Bettina Hauert (67), Lydia Hall from Wales (66), Italy's Veronica Zorzi (70), Scotland's Vikki Laing (73) and the English pair of Florentyna Parker (72) and Melissa Reid (73). Boeljon, Hall and Laing all recorded their career-best finishes in LET events.