Swedish amateur Meja Örtengren secured victory at the PGA Championship Trelleborg after seeing off Zhen Bontan of the Netherlands on the second play-off hole.
The local sensation was the only player today to sign for a red number as she carded three straight birdies on holes 14 to 16 at Tegelberga Golf Club to see her card a three-under 68, with her six birdies today the most by an amateur in any round.
After firing the round of the day, the 17-year-old waited for the final groups to make their way to the clubhouse as she saw the gap to the leader continue to get smaller.
“It was first when I signed the scorecard that I realised I was in second place at that point. I was quite nervous waiting around and checking the scores, but back out on the course I managed to calm down,” said the PING Junior Solheim Cup star who twice finished in the top-10 in Swedish LETAS events last year.
Örtengren has a lot of success to her name over the years including 2021 wins at the German Girls Open, the Annika Invitational Europe in Sweden and the AJGA’s Tournament of Champions in the US, with this the latest trophy to add to her collection.
She continued: “This means a lot to me, it meant winning at a level that I haven’t won at before. My goal is to keep playing well, hope for some invitations to big events and hopefully qualify for a major or two.”
Bontan stormed ahead of the oppositon after shooting two-under for her front nine, before four bogeys on the way home saw her drop level with Örtengren on -2 overall.
And the Dutch couldn’t regain her form from the early part of the day in the playoff, as the Swedish superstar edged her out to claim success, but she was delighted with her week nonetheless.
“It was a great week for me, I knew my game was in a good shape coming from Switzerland,” Bontan said.
“Earlier today I knew I had to go play 18 holes, not knowing what the other players would shoot and then it got a little tougher at the end. But overall, I am happy with my game.”
Finland’s Karina Kukkonen took solo third place two shots back at even par after shooting six-over 77 in the final round.
“Before coming to this event, I would be happy with the final result, but not so much with today’s round. I will have to think about the positives from the final round and learn from the negatives as well,” said the overnight leader.
“I actually had a dream I finished tied for second today and I woke up with my thoughts going in a circle, I often dream about golf.”
Individual fourth spot goes to Moa Folke of Sweden who finished on a total of two-over-par. One shot back was compatriot, amateur Ellen Andersson who carded a round of even par – the second-best score of the day.
Five players ended the week tied for sixth at +4, with English amateur Ellie Gower joining Andersson with the second-best score of 71 on Saturday, while Australia’s Kristalle Blum shot two-over 73.
Spanish duo Noemi Jimenez Martin and Teresa Diez Moliner as well as yet another Swedish amateur Matilda Bjorkman all signed for four-over 75 in today’s round to finish in the top ten.
Bontan makes the move up to third place in the LETAS Order of Merit standings after her strong showing in Sweden, leaving her on 439.50 points after the three events of the season so far, while Italy’s Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso continues to lead the way on 534.00.
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