Two weeks ago in Czechia, Elsa Svensson made her professional debut on the LET Access Series (LETAS).
Now playing her third LETAS tournament at the PGA Championship, Svensson swept aside her competition to clinch her first professional victory on home soil at Elisefarm Golf Club on Friday.
Svensson fired a blemish-free five-under 67 to finish with an overall score of seven-under 209, two shots ahead of Switzerland’s Natalie Armbruester (69).
Last week’s champion Moa Svedenskiold (71) and Italy’s Emma Lundgren (70) came another stroke behind at four-under in a tie for third place.
“I feel incredibly happy,” Svensson said. “I’ve been working really hard and I’ve been struggling a little bit so I’m really happy to finally get it done.
“It feels good because I get some confidence now for the rest of the season to keep going.”
Starting the day one shot behind overnight leader Svedenskiold, Svensson, who shot 75 yesterday amid tough conditions, began with six straight pars before rolling in back-to-back birdies on holes seven and eight.
“My mindset was kind of just keep going,” she said. “I actually played alright yesterday, so it was kind of just getting those putts to roll in and I feel like I did that today.
“I played very solid and didn’t really make a lot of mistakes, and got a few putts rolling there, so it was fun.”
Onto the back nine, Svensson sunk a mammoth 60-foot putt for birdie on the par-4 13th before converting again on the par-5 14th to surge into the solo lead.
“I had a really far (iron) in on 13, so I kind of just tried to hit the green. And then I holed a long one, it was kind of just a bonus, and then the short par five, I had a good putt there too.
“Honestly, I tried to not get my mind too far ahead, tried to be present. I didn’t look at the leaderboard at all, so I had no clue how it was going. I just tried to play my game, be there and play my best.”
It was a lead she did not relinquish, making sure of victory with another long putt for birdie on hole 17.
“That was so fun,” she said. “I kind of hit that approach shot not great. I was a little bit nervous, but it was fun to see that roll in.”
Not even a hiccup on the par-5 closing hole, when Svensson had to pitch out from the rough with a massive rock obstructing her approach, could stop the Swede from steamrolling to the title.
The Louisiana State University graduate stayed with her brother in the nearby town of Lund and had her family supporting her throughout the week.
She added: “We’re gonna have dinner tonight to celebrate, and maybe some dessert.”
Further down the leaderboard, French 16-year-old amateur Alice Kong, who broke the course record on Thursday with a 65, closed with a two-under 70 to come in a tie for fifth with the United States’ Antonia Malate (69).
At one-under for the tournament, the trio of Austria’s Johanna Ebner (69), Iceland’s Andrea Bergsdottir (70) and Canada’s Ashley Chow (72) finished in a tie for seventh.
Finland’s Tiia Koivisto (74) and Sweden’s Johanna Sjursen (71) were tied for 10th place, another shot behind at even-par.
The LETAS season continues next week in Sweden at the Swedish Strokeplay to be held from July 1-3 at Golf Uppsala Soderby.
Keep up with all the action on the LETAS on our socials – @LETAccess on Instagram and X and LET Access Series on Facebook.
