Gurugram (Haryana) [India], Oct 13 (ANI): Caroline Hedwall, who won the 2011 Women’s Indian Open in her rookie year, has confirmed her participation in this year’s edition of the tournament. The now 33-year-old Swedish star, who broke through at the 2011 HWIO in what was her rookie year, will have great memories of the Women’s Indian Open when she returns next week to DLF GolfCountry Club. She won hearts everywhere as she claimed the title with her mother, Yvonne on the bag on the Arnold Palmer course at DLF Golf and Country Club. A year later, she was second in the same place and tournament.
Caroline returns for her fifth start at the Women’s Indian Open. Armed with one win and two runners-up in four starts, she is looking for more glory and is looking to add to her collection of six LET wins, four of which came in her sensational rookie year in 2011. Her most recent win was at the 2018 Lacoste Ladies Open de France. She also has three wins in Australia, one of them in 2011.
A regular in the Solheim Cup team in her first years, she missed 2021 but wants to come back in 2023 in Spain.
Although her first two starts were on the Arnold Palmer layout, her love for DLF GolfCountry Club remained as a venue. When she returned in 2016, the event was played on the new Gary Player course, but the results from Hedwall were still fantastic.
Hedwall has an enviable record at HWIO. After winning in 2011, she was runner-up a year later in 2012, when she lost to Phatlum Pornanong of Thailand. When Hedwall returned in 2016, she saw a new rookie do what she did five years earlier – win the Hero Women’s Indian Open. It was India’s own Aditi Ashok and Hedwall was T-23 that year. After skipping 2017, Hedwall was back in contention in 2018, finishing T-2.
One of the most endearing qualities about Hedwall has been how she has kept her family close to her in her moments of joy. In 2011 she had her mother, Yvonne, as a caddy and in 2018 it was her non-identical twin, Jacqueline, on the bag. No wonder, she enjoys great popularity in India.
After her sensational breakout season in 2011, Hedwall played extensively on the LPGA. From 2012 to almost 2019-20, she frequently played in the US, sometimes splitting her time between the two transatlantic tours.
Although she played golf at the famous Oklahoma State University in the US, Europe is where Hedwall seems more comfortable. This despite the fact that she came close to winning in the USA a few times. She finished second once in 2012, a year after taking the LET by storm, and finished third or tied for third three times in 2013 on the LPGA in addition to several other top-10s.
Nevertheless, her results were much better at the LET in Europe. In 2018 she won, her last at the LET in France and 5 top-10s in nine starts. They included the win in France and two seconds, including the Women’s Indian Open. In 2019 she showed love for the LET with 5 Top-10s in 12 starts and was sixth at OOM. She also represented Europe in the winning Solheim Cup team at Gleneagles. It was her fourth Solheim Cup appearance, with three times on the winning side. It was a busy season as she also played in 13 LPGA events, making 11 cuts and passing $2 million in career earnings.
In 2020 in six competitions she was twice third, in Dubai and Saudi International. Technically, she played 10 events on the LPGA, but two of those events were in Europe and two in Australia. By 2021, it was clear that she was happier on the LET. In 13 starts, she had four top-10s and finished 35th at the Race to Costa Del Sol.
As 2022 started, Hedwall started to show better form. This season, Hedwall has had four top-10s. Three of those have been in her last four starts – T-8 at the Skafto Open, T-8 at the Aaland 100 Ladies Open and T-5 at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France.
So all indications are that Hedwall is eyeing another shot at the Hero Women’s Indian Open at DLF GolfCountry Club, which is scheduled for October 20-23, 2022.(ANI)
Source: sn.dk
