The Swedish Caroline Hedwall (274 strokes, -18) won the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open in Spain this Sunday after signing a card of 67 strokes in the fourth and final round, six under par at Alferini Golf (Villa Padierna), in Benahavis ( Málaga), after defeating the Swiss Morgane Metraux (-18) with a birdie on the fourth hole of the playoff, 17, after playing the 18th hole three times, par 3.
It is her seventh title on the women’s European Tour. “I feel really good, it seems like I’ve been waiting for this win for a long time. I wasn’t sure if I could get it. It’s been a roller coaster to Be honest: I had an injury in 2014 that was really hard for me, and I had a hard turn in my self-esteem.
That victory in 2018 meant a lot to me,” said the Scandinavian in the press room. “It was hard during Covid-19, I didn’t want to travel so much, but now I’m more or less back to normal and I feel great,” she added.
Hedwall had a very consistent week with rounds of 70(-3), 68(-5), 69(-4) and 67(-6). The 33-year-old golfer hit her best round of the week on the final day and made no bogey, with six birdies. “I’ve been able to take advantage of the par fives here and hit the green to even hit a couple of eagles.
It’s been great, I’ve really enjoyed playing on this golf course, it’s been a lot of fun,” she said.
Caroline Hedwall, statements
Finally, she assured that “I was not sure that I still had it in me, and I think I have shown myself that I can, and the 2023 Solheim Cup -it has already played four editions- will be a goal for next season”
Her compatiot, Linn Grant, with a birdie-eagle card finish in the final two par 5s, finished off her victory in the Race to Costa del Sol, the Women’s European Tour Order of Merit, ahead of fellow Swede Maja Stark (-13) , who couldn’t unseat Grant from the top of the list.
We must highlight the performance of the young Madrid amateur, 17 years old, Cayetana Fernández (-15), who in her first participation in this tournament finished in fifth position, being in the end the best classified Spanish and improving the eighth place she achieved in 2007.
also being an amateur, and with 17 years, Carlota Ciganda, seventh tied with another of the outstanding, the also amateur Carla Tejedo. The Spanish Open is the second Ladies European Tour tournament that Cayetana has played this 2022, and her balance is a third and a fifth place.
Better than her in Alfereini Golf were Hedwall, Metraux, the Irish Leona Maguire and Grant. Cayetana has been the true sensation of the week for her golf at a very high level during the four days: “the first two days I played very solid and the other two I have pulled my claws, but in summary, they have been some very hard-fought rounds, my performance It has exceeded my expectations and I am very happy with the final result”, he summed up exultantly.
And also, ‘Cata’, as her family and friends call her, has also been the best amateur in the competition, which makes her worthy of the first edition of the Celia Barquín Award, something that fills the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid: “I am very happy to win this award, the players of the national team always remember Celia in the European Championships that we play, so I hope this award will be repeated for many years.”
Although it is entering into the hypothesis, winning this tournament would have meant a dilemma for Cayetana, since it would have granted her the Ladies European Tour card, but the Madrilenian once again has her feet firmly planted on the ground: “Winning would have been a dilemma, especially for my father, but I would have continued with my plans, which are to go to university for four years and then go professional.
It would have been difficult to choose, but the most important thing is to keep what you think from the beginning, even if circumstances change ”, she concluded.