Brokenhurst Manor’s Liz Bennett has enjoyed one of her best ever results on the Ladies European Tour.

The 30-year-old finished in a tie for fifth place at the New Zealand Women’s Open, earning a cheque for nearly €9,000.

That is enough to put her seventh in the early order of merit standings.

Bennett stormed up the leaderboard on the final day in Christchurch, posting a scintillating seven-under-par round of 65.

Only Korean player Seon Woo Bae, with a 64 on day two, could better that score all week. Bennett, pictured, had started her last round on one-over-par and in a tie for 27th position. Immediately, she set about climbing the standings.

After a birdie at the opening hole, Bennett eagled the par-five second.

Back-to-back birdies then followed at four and five, before she picked up another shot at the eighth hole.

That put Bennett at six-under for her round by the time she reached the turn. The back nine didn’t prove quite so fruitful, with her sole birdie coming at the tenth.

However, Bennett then parred her way home to ensure a second top-five finish of her Tour career.

The previous one came in August 2011, when she was fourth at the Ladies Scottish Open.