Linn Grant produced the biggest remaining spherical comeback in European Tour historical past as she overturned an 11-stroke deficit to win the DP World Tour’s Scandinavian Combined match for the second time in three years.
The 24-year-old began the ultimate spherical 11 pictures behind fellow Swede Sebastian Söderberg, who had led from the beginning of the match after firing rounds of 63, 66 and 66 to determine what appeared like an unassailable eight-shot lead over the sector.
However Grant, who additionally received this occasion in 2022, had different concepts, going out in simply 31 pictures 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 whole was nonetheless three strokes behind Söderberg, who was on 20 underneath par with six holes left to play.
However the chief wobbled underneath the strain of main for thus lengthy, making bogeys at 13 and 15, earlier than arriving on the 18th tee along with his lead reduce to only one. After discovering the green along with his tee shot on the 450-yard par 4 closing gap, Soderberg’s strategy plugged right into a greenside bunker. He out chipped out to 25 toes, however then took three extra pictures 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 potential of a play-off when phrase of her victory filtered by means of to the vary as she secured her sixth Women 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 along with her brother Jonathan as caddie. mentioned: “I’ve very combined feelings proper now. I truthfully horrible for Sebastian in the meanwhile. I don’t even have phrases for it. I can’t think about how he feels. On the identical time, I’m so stunned standing right here as a winner once more, in my residence city. It’s superb.
“Actually, I simply tried to exit at this time and provides myself the chance. I didn’t take into consideration the possibility of successful – 11 pictures is a large hole. I simply wished to exit, have enjoyable, make as many birdies as attainable and luxuriate in it with my brother on the bag and being at residence.
“The chip-in on 18 was unbelievable. I feel I celebrated effectively sufficient after I was there, so I’m not wanting again at that wishing it was me within the final group. It turned out to be an unimaginable day.”
RECORD COMEBACK
The end result despatched information tumbling as no participant had ever held an eight-stroke 54-hole lead on the European Tour and never received, and Grant’s 11-stroke deficit is now the biggest 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 underneath par, with Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson in a tie for fourth place on 13 underneath alongside the English pair of Alex Fitzpatrick and Andy Sullivan.
