Late mistake costs Caroline Hedwall the outright lead as the Swede slipped into a tie at the top with Alice Hewson, Rhys Enoch and Jason Scrivener after day three of the Scandinavian Mixed
Saturday 12 June 2021 15:25, UK
Caroline Hedwall and Alice Hewson will have a share of the lead heading into the final round of the Scandinavian Mixed in Gothenburg.
Hedwall appeared set to be two shots clear overnight as she coped admirably with the strengthening winds that forced organisers into an early start to the third round, but the Solheim Cup stalwart pulled her drive into the water at the 17th.
The resulting double-bogey dropped her to 12 under alongside fellow Ladies European Tour star Hewson, with Rhys Enoch and Jason Scrivener having been in the clubhouse for hours after carding commendable 66s.
Enoch was out in the first group of the day at the 10th and was one over early on, but he staged a fine recovery and made three birdies on the front nine while also making an eagle at the long sixth.
Scrivener was in the group behind Enoch, starting his day with an eagle at the 10th, and the Australian then made three birdies in four holes on the front nine before making his only mistake of the round at his penultimate hole.
With the winds picking up for the later starters, the target set by Enoch and Scrivener looked likely to remain intact until Hedwall produced a spirited recovery from a bogey-bogey start.
The Swede hit back with three birdies and added another at the 10th to get to 14 under par, while Hewson stumbled to the turn in 37 before also carding a good four at the 10th.
Hewson then defied the conditions to reel off three straight birdies from the 15th, and a par at the last capped a 69 which left her two shots adrift of Hedwall as she signed her card.
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But Hedwall's wayward strike off the tee at the 17th changed the picture at the top of the leaderboard, and she did well to scramble a par at the last after failing to hold the green with her wedge approach, settling for a 73 and being part of a four-way tie for the lead.
"It was extremely tough, it was almost a shock when I hit the first tee shot how much the end was actually blowing," said Hedwall. "But I think I adjusted really well and played really good golf. It's just unfortunate at the end there that I couldn't get the putts to roll in.
"I actually hit it quite well at 17, I didn't think it was a bad swing or anything but it was probably just a gust that caught the ball and it went in the water - that's what happens in this type of weather sometimes.
"I'm really proud of myself for keeping on fighting. I'm quite happy, 73 is not a bad score in these conditions, but with the finish that I had I'm not that happy right now. It feels good to still be up there and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. It is awesome that it is two men and two women at the top."
Hewson added: "It was a lot of fun out there. It was really really tough, it has been windy all day and I got off to a bit of a slow start, so I'm really happy.
"In windy conditions like this, it is really easy to focus on the negatives whether it's a bad bounce or the wind takes it a little bit more. That was my biggest focus today, I did really enjoy it and playing with the men has been so much and they have all made me feel exceptionally welcome.
"I think tomorrow I will probably be a bit nervous especially on the first tee. We will try to stay relaxed and just one shot at a time and whatever happens happens."
The top 17 players are separated by just four shots after 54 holes, with Scottish veteran David Drysdale giving himself yet another great chance to end his 25-year quest for a maiden European Tour title.
Drysdale fired a solid, three-birdie 70 to lie just one shot off the lead, along with Scott Hend (69), James Morrison (68) and Ashley Chesters (70), with 2008 European Ryder Cup star OIiver Wilson in the hunt on nine under after a 70.
