Sebastian Soderberg headed into the final round of the DP World Tour’s Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed in Sweden with an eight-stroke lead at 21-under par overall.
But it all came crashing down on Sunday and he experienced a nightmare of epic proportions, firing off a five-over 77 that bore no resemblance to the performances he had made over the first three days, when he shot 63 and two 66s.
Meanwhile, Lynn Grant, Team Europe’s star player at last year’s Solheim Cup, took the clubhouse lead with a perfect 7-under 65, seven birdies and no bogeys. Grant started the round 11 strokes behind her countryman but finished at 17-under. Grant also went on to win the tournament.
Grant was still trailing by one stroke when Soderberg teed off on the par-four 18th hole, but she had finished nearly 90 minutes early and was warming up on the driving range in preparation for a playoff if Soderberg bogeyed. The 18th was the second-hardest hole, giving the Swede plenty of chance to drop another stroke to cap off a miserable round.
Still, an extra hole seemed unlikely after Soderberg found the fairway with his tee shot, but then he shoved his second shot into the right greenside bunker.
A heavy rainstorm had covered the golf course minutes earlier, completely flooding the grass and sandbox, leaving Soderberg’s ball buried in the wet sand and eliminating any chance of making par.
He then hit it to 25 feet, giving himself a slim chance of victory, but rain slowed the greens and his par attempt fell three feet short.
after that Misery has descendedJust like the epic rain that had just come before.
Soderberg missed a short bogey attempt, his ball making a perfect 180 degree U-turn, missing a playoff opportunity with Grant and handing the win to Grant.
“I was really surprised,” Grant said later.
“Now I’m standing here as a winner again in my hometown. It’s amazing…. Honestly, today I just wanted to go out there and give myself a chance. I didn’t even think I had a chance to win. 11 strokes is a big difference, so I just wanted to go out there, have fun and get as many birdies as I could.”
No birdie was bigger than the final one of the day. Chip in for birdie On the 18th hole. Ironically, her 3 strokes to Soderberg’s 6 were what won and lost the tournament.
Who could have expected that, considering Soderbergh still led by three strokes after Grant scored?
“It was incredible,” Grant said of his shot.
“I think I celebrated enough when I was there, so I don’t have any regrets on the last hole wishing I had won.”
“Incredible” is the only word that can describe what happened in Sweden on Sunday, but history was also made. With her incredible win, Grant became just the second woman in history to win a DP World Tour event; she also won the event two years ago.
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow For more golf articles, follow us on Twitter Jack Mirko In the same way.
