CAROLINE HEDWALL BLOWS FOUR CLEAR AT HELSINGBORG OPEN
NEWS RELEASE FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
REPORT BY BETHAN CUTLER, L E T Media Manager
Local player Caroline Hedwall (pictured today) fired a third-round of five-under-par 67
in warm and windy conditions at Vasatorp’s Tournament Course on Saturday
to take a four stroke lead into the final day at the Helsingborg Open.
The 24-year-old Swede had five birdies on the front nine, including
three in a row from the fourth, to grab the lead and built on that with a
steady level par back nine.
At 206, 10-under-par, the Solheim Cup star was four clear of South
African Lee-Anne Pace and second-round leader Valentine Derrey of
France, who carded third rounds of 73 and 74 respectively.
Hedwall’s third-round score was the best of the day by three strokes
and, after her epic performance at The Solheim Cup in Colorado last
month, she once again proved the player that rises to the big occasion.
A sizeable gallery of 7,500 spectators lined the fairways and greens to
watch the all-Swedish three-ball of Hedwall, Pernilla Lindberg and
Camilla Lennarth.
While Lindberg and Lennarth slipped down the leader board with
respective rounds of 75 and 77, Hedwall stood firm in the blustery
conditions and is ideally placed to collect her sixth LET win and first
since Austria last year.
“I think I just got into the flow. I hit it really close on four, five
and six and it helps when you don’t have to concentrate on the putts,”
said Hedwall, whose family home is 15 minutes from the venue.
“I’ve been hitting the ball really solid the last two months and I’m
very happy with it and this week I’ve been able to hole a couple of
putts. It’s probably the best I’ve ever played.
“Three holes in a row it was tap in birdies. I’m very happy with
five-under today and it’s a really good score in these conditions. I
really enjoyed it. It makes it so much more fun playing in front of a
big crowd and I’m excited for tomorrow.”
Derrey remained in the hunt despite a triple bogey on nine, when she
took three chips to get onto the green. “I was playing good golf: a
birdie on eight and triple bogey on nine but I stayed patient for the
rest of the round. When you got to 10, 11, 12, 13, you could feel the
wind, but it was less windy after 16.”
Pace had several birdie putts which finished just short of the hole but
said: “I didn’t hit it as well as yesterday. My driving was okay and my
putting was solid but under par in the beginning. My coach is here so
will go and see him after this. Tomorrow anything can happen if I get a
quick start; maybe I can catch her.”
Denmark’s Malene Jorgensen and Australian Rebecca Artis were a stroke
further back in a share of fourth place. Jorgensen, from nearby Odense
two hours from Copenhagen, felt as though she was playing for a home
crowd.
“I played really well and hit some good shots but it was tough out
there. I’m happy with minus one today. It’s lovely to have so many
people around me and I can understand Swedish so it’s close to home,”
she said.
World No.10 I.K. Kim from South Korea, who led after the first round,
started well with two birdies on the front nine but had a nightmare back
nine with a double on 10 and three bogeys to come home in 41. She
dropped into a share of sixth place with Linda Wessberg, while fellow
Swede Anna Nordqvist was a shot back in equal eighth.
The fourth round gets under way at 9:35 on Sunday morning, with the
leading trio of Hedwall, Pace and Derrey starting at 11:25. The winner
will earn a place in next week’s Evian Championship and a first prize of
€37,500.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x(32
206 Caroline Hedwall (SWE) 69 70 67
210 Lee-Anne Pace (RSA) 69 68 73, Valentine Derrey (FRA) 68 68 74211 Rebecca Artis (AUS) 69 71 71, Malene Jorgensen (DEN) 70 70 71
212 I K Kim (SKOR) 65 72 75, Linda Wessberg (SWE) 70 72 70
214 Nontaya Srisawang (THA) 68 74 72, Caroline Afonso (FRA) 72 71
71, Pernilla Lindberg (SWE) 66 73 75, Anna Nordqvist (SWE) 70 71 73
215 Camilla Lennarth (SWE) 68 70 77, Steffi Kirchmayr (GER) 73 68 74216 Gwladys Nocera (FRA) 68 73 75, Ashleigh Simon (RSA) 70 72 74, Maria Salinas (PER) 74 71 71, Nikki Garrett (AUS) 68 78 70, Maria Hjorth (SWE) 68 76 72, Trish Johnson (ENG) 73 70 73
217 Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA) 70 74 73, Laura Davies (ENG) 73 72 72, Liz Young (ENG) 68 74 75, Mireia Prat (ESP) 70 77 70
218 Holly Clyburn (ENG) 69 76 73, Lina Boqvist (SWE) 75 69 74, Malene Krolboll Hansen (DNK) 74 71 73
219 Vikki Laing (SCO) 70 73 76, Klara Spilkova (CZE) 68 77 74,
Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) 73 73 73, Stephanie Na (AUS) 70 72 77, Viva
Schlasberg (SWE) 72 73 74
220 Charlotte Ellis (ENG) 78 70 72, Helen Alfredsson (SWE) 71 76
73, Joanna Klatten (FRA) 69 79 72, Antonella Cvitan (SWE) 73 74 73,
Eleanor Givens (ENG) 73 74 73, Julie Greciet (FRA) 71 76 73, Celine
Herbin (FRA) 72 73 75, Alexandra Vilatte (FRA) 73 74 73, Nina Holleder
(GER) 74 72 74
221 Mallory Fraiche (USA) 72 75 74, Linnea Strom (SWE) 77 68 76,
Mikaela Parmlid (SWE) 73 75 73, Pamela Pretswell (SCO) 72 76 73, Nikki
Campbell (AUS) 72 75 74, Line Vedel (DEN) 75 73 73, Sarah Kemp (AUS)
70 74 77
222 Sophie Walker (ENG) 72 75 75, Tania Elosegui (ESP) 71 77 74,
Beth Allen (USA) 72 71 79, Sophie Sandolo (ITA) 69 77 76, Anne-Lise
Caudal (FRA) 71 72 79, Louise Larsson (SWE) 73 72 77, Tara Davies
(WAL) 73 74 75, Whitney Hillier (AUS) 73 74 75, Maria Hernandez (ESP)
76 71 75
223 Galina Rotmistrova (RUS) 73 70 80, Rebecca Sorensen (SWE) 74 71 78
224 Connie Chen (RSA) 74 71 79, Florentyna Parker (ENG) 73 75 76
225 Marjet Van Der Graaff (NED) 72 74 79, Marion Ricordeau (FRA) 75
72 78, Stefania Croce (ITA) 73 75 77, Carin Koch (SWE) 74 69 82
226 Eva Bjarvall (SWE) 72 76 78
227 Sahra Hassan (WAL) 74 73 80, Jade Schaeffer (FRA) 68 80 79
Bethan Cutler
Media Manager
Ladies European Tour
Mobile: +44 (0)7980056045
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 6:17:00 pm
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