Unknown Huldahl wins Wales Open
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2009 The Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open | Round Four | 08 Jun 2009
26-year-old Danish golfer Jeppe Huldahl today won his first European Tour event when he held off a strong late challenge from Niclas Fasth to capture the Celtic Manor Wales Open.
Huldahl started the final round tied with Spain’s Ignacio Garrido and was still locked in a battle with Garrido before Garrido double bogeyed the 16th hole to fall three behind.
Niclas Fasth had also joined Huldahl in the lead with three holes to play but he would drop shots at the 16th and 17th although he was able to birdie the final hole to grab outright second position. Garrido recovered from his double bogey to birdie the last and finish alone in third position.
Huldahl first joined the European Tour just a few weeks after turning professional in 2003. He earned his European Tour card for the 2004 season but was unable to retain it in his rookie season. He regained access to the Tour following a great season on the Challenge Tour in 2008 but with little show for his efforts to date in 2009 this was an unexpected but significant victory.
Given that it was Huldahl’s first experience at leading an event of this standard he was very impressive in the manner he handled the situation.
England’s Gary Lockerbie and Danny Willett tied for 4th position while Simon Dyson, Oliver Wilson, Jeev Milkha Singh and the leading Australian Richard Green.
Wade Ormsby was 37th, Marcus Fraser 43rd, Scott Strange 59th, Michael Curtain 70th and Mark Brown 73rd.
The European Tour now has a break of one week before the US Open in New York and the St Omer Open in France.
