Huldahl Claims Welsh Victory
Jeppe Huldahl
Unknown Dane Jeppe Huldahl became another shock victor on the European Tour in just four weeks after winning the Wales Open at Celtic Manor.
Huldahl is now on a list of shock victors that includes Irish amateur Shane Lowry and world number 449 Christian Cevaer, the 26-year-old ranked 377th beat Ryder Cup Swede Niclas Fasth by one shot.
It was his first top-10 finish on the tour in 45 attempts spanning six years.
The £300,000 first prize was almost 30 times Huldahl’s previous biggest cheque, but he won in style on the course which in October next year will stage America’s defence of the Ryder Cup.
The 2008 Challenge Tour graduate went into the final round as joint leader with England’s Nick Dougherty and Spaniard Ignacio Garrido but he held his nerve superbly with a a four-under-par round of 67.
Fasth joined him at the top of the leaderboard with an eagle on the long 11th, but Huldahl responded with birdies at the next two holes.
Although the Swede had birdies at the 13th and 15th, he dropped shots at the next two holes and despite piling on the pressure again with a closing 20-foot putt, Huldahl parred the last seven holes to triumph.
Fasth’s 66 gave him second with Garrido in third a further shot back but Dougherty had a nightmare final round 79 to slip down to 37th.
Halfway leader Richie Ramsay, meanwhile, finished tied 10th, but it was a weekend the Scot will not forget in a hurry.
After two-hour talks with officials late on Saturday night he escaped a two-stroke penalty over an incident on the eighth when he pressed down ground behind his ball in testing for casual water.
But on Sunday he had his par five on the last turned into a six because of the way he took relief on the fairway.
Ryder Cup captains Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin finished 38th and 43rd respectively on three and four over.
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