Linn Grant produced the most important closing spherical comeback in European Tour historical past as she overturned an 11-stroke deficit to win the DP World Tour’s Scandinavian Combined event for the second time in three years.
The 24-year-old began the ultimate spherical 11 photographs behind fellow Swede Sebastian Söderberg, who had led from the beginning of the event after firing rounds of 63, 66 and 66 to ascertain what regarded like an unassailable eight-shot lead over the sector.
However Grant, who additionally gained this occasion in 2022, had different concepts, going out in simply 31 photographs and making birdies and the tenth and 18th holes – together with a chip-in from off the inexperienced on the final – to an indication for a bogey-free 65 to put up the clubhouse lead of 17-under-par at Vasatorps Golfklubb. That complete was nonetheless three strokes behind Söderberg, who was on 20 beneath par with six holes left to play.
However the chief wobbled beneath the strain of main for thus lengthy, making bogeys at 13 and 15, earlier than arriving on the 18th tee along with his lead lower to only one. After discovering the green along with his tee shot on the 450-yard par 4 closing gap, Soderberg’s method plugged right into a greenside bunker. He out chipped out to 25 toes, however then took three extra photographs to get down – lacking an 18-inch putt to drive a play-off – and signed for a double-bogey six and a massively disappointing closing five-over 77.
Grant was making ready for the opportunity of a play-off when phrase of her victory filtered by way of to the vary as she secured her sixth Girls European Tour title and her second title when competing in opposition to her male counterparts.
Grant, for whom the win was even sweeter on condition that she was competing in her hometown of Helsingborg together with her brother Jonathan as caddie. mentioned: “I’ve very combined feelings proper now. I truthfully horrible for Sebastian in the mean time. I don’t even have phrases for it. I can’t think about how he feels. On the similar time, I’m so shocked standing right here as a winner once more, in my residence city. It’s superb.
“Actually, I simply tried to exit immediately and provides myself the chance. I didn’t take into consideration the prospect of successful – 11 photographs is a large hole. I simply wished to exit, have enjoyable, make as many birdies as potential and revel in it with my brother on the bag and being at residence.
“The chip-in on 18 was unbelievable. I feel I celebrated nicely sufficient after I was there, so I’m not trying again at that wishing it was me within the final group. It turned out to be an unimaginable day.”
RECORD COMEBACK
The outcome despatched data tumbling as no participant had ever held an eight-stroke 54-hole lead on the European Tour and never gained, and Grant’s 11-stroke deficit is now the most important overturned, eclipsing the ten-stroke comebacks by Paul Lawrie (The 1999 Open) and Jamie Spence (1992 Canon European Masters).
Söderberg completed in a share of second with Scotland’s Calum Hill on 16 beneath par, with Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson in a tie for fourth place on 13 beneath alongside the English pair of Alex Fitzpatrick and Andy Sullivan.
