In a tense final day at the Soudal Open in Belgium, it was Sweden’s Simon Forsstrom who managed to hold his nerve, with the 34-year-old birdieing two of his final three holes to pick up the first DP World Tour title of his career.
Forsstrom, who has been to DP World Tour Q School nine times throughout his career, began the day in the outright lead, with home favourite, Thomas Detry, in hot pursuit as he chased down a potential first DP World Tour trophy.
Opening with three pars, a near 40-foot birdie putt at the fourth doubled Forsstrom’s lead to two shots. Although he then topped his approach at the par 5 next hole, he managed to get up-and-down to stay clear and, when he stuck his second shot in close at the eighth for another birdie, his lead was three.
It seemed then that the title was heading his way, especially with a par at the ninth rounding out a comfortable front nine of 34. However, winning on the DP World Tour is never easy and that proved the case at the 10th, with Forsstrom finding trouble off the tee and eventually finishing with a double bogey.
The damage wasn’t over though, especially when a bogey at the 12th undid all of the hard work from the front nine. There was even more bad news for the Swede, as his bad run meant he dropped back into a three way tie of the lead, alongside Thorbjorn Olesen and Jens Dantorp.
Forsstrom celebrates with the Soudal Open trophy
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Dantorp, who is yet to win on the DP World Tour circuit, then took the outright lead himself for the first time, as a 48-foot putt dropped to get him to 15-under. His fellow countryman, Forsstrom, wasn’t done though and, when he birdied the 14th and 16th, the lead was back in his court.
As Dantorp parred the last hole to overtake Oleson and set the clubhouse target at 16-under-par, it was left to Forsstrom to par the last to keep his one shot lead intact. Thankfully, after finding the rough off the tee on the 18th, he produced one of the shots of the day, with his wedge shot nestling some 10-feet from the flag.
Although he missed the birdie try, he was able to duly tap-in for a par and a final round 69. After the putt, Forsstrom was clearly overwhelmed, with the 34-year-old revealing that there wouldn’t be much celebrating tonight, due to the fact he is flying out to make a US Open Qualifier at Walton Heath early next week!
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