Linn Grant produced the largest final round comeback in European Tour history as she overturned an 11-stroke deficit to win the DP World Tour’s Scandinavian Mixed tournament for the second time in three years.
The 24-year-old started the final round 11 shots behind fellow Swede Sebastian Söderberg, who had led from the start of the tournament after firing rounds of 63, 66 and 66 to establish what looked like an unassailable eight-shot lead over the field.
But Grant, who also won this event in 2022, had other ideas, going out in just 31 shots and making birdies and the 10th and 18th holes – including a chip-in from off the green at the last – to a sign for a bogey-free 65 to post the clubhouse lead of 17-under-par at Vasatorps Golfklubb. That total was still three strokes behind Söderberg, who was on 20 under par with six holes left to play.
But the leader wobbled under the pressure of leading for so long, making bogeys at 13 and 15, before arriving at the 18th tee with his lead cut to just one. After finding the fairway with his tee shot on the 450-yard par 4 closing hole, Soderberg’s approach plugged into a greenside bunker. He out chipped out to 25 feet, but then took three more shots to get down – missing an 18-inch putt to force a play-off – and signed for a double-bogey six and a hugely disappointing closing five-over 77.
Grant was preparing for the possibility of a play-off when word of her victory filtered through to the range as she secured her sixth Ladies European Tour title and her second title when competing against her male counterparts.
Grant, for whom the win was even sweeter given that she was competing in her hometown of Helsingborg with her brother Jonathan as caddie. said: “I have very mixed emotions right now. I honestly terrible for Sebastian at the moment. I don’t even have words for it. I can’t imagine how he feels. At the same time, I’m so surprised standing here as a winner again, in my home town. It’s amazing.
“Honestly, I just tried to go out today and give myself the opportunity. I didn’t think about the chance of winning – 11 shots is a huge gap. I just wanted to go out, have fun, make as many birdies as possible and enjoy it with my brother on the bag and being at home.
“The chip-in on 18 was unbelievable. I think I celebrated well enough when I was there, so I’m not looking back at that wishing it was me in the last group. It turned out to be an incredible day.”
RECORD COMEBACK
The result sent records tumbling as no player had ever held an eight-stroke 54-hole lead on the European Tour and not won, and Grant’s 11-stroke deficit is now the largest overturned, eclipsing the ten-stroke comebacks by Paul Lawrie (The 1999 Open) and Jamie Spence (1992 Canon European Masters).
Söderberg finished in a share of second with Scotland’s Calum Hill on 16 under par, with Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson in a tie for fourth place on 13 under alongside the English pair of Alex Fitzpatrick and Andy Sullivan.
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