Sweden’s Jens Dantorp made headlines on Saturday, birdieing the last three holes to take a one shot lead into the final round of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open. This will be the 29 year old’s first 54 hole lead on the European Tour, but who is Jens Dantorp?
Here’s seven things you didn’t know about the Swede.
He’s won ten professional events
Having turned pro in 2008, Dantorp played the majority of his golf in the Nordic Golf League. In his first four years as a professional, he won eight times in that Tour and won the Order of Merit in 2011. In 2012, he earned a place on the Challenge Tour and has won two Challenge Tour events
He already has a Rolex Trophy
No, not a Rolex Series tournament, a Rolex Trophy. In 2013, Dantorp beat Adrian Otaegui in the Challenge’s Tour Rolex Trophy in Switzerland. It was perhaps good preparation this week’s final round, as he co-lead after 54 holes on what he described as the “greatest day of his life” at the time.
He has shot a professional 59
Not many players can make this claim, but Dantorp is one of a select few. Playing on the Nordic Golf Tour, the Swede fired a second round 59 at the Bravo Tours Open in 2011. At the time, Dantorp said “It feels great because 59 is such a special score. When the ball went in, people cheered like I had won the competition.” It was just the second sub-60 score ever recorded on the Nordic Golf League
He finished 11th on the Challenge Tour in 2017
Dantorp earned his 2018 European Tour card via the Challenge Tour, finishing 11th in the 2017 Road To Ras Al Khaimah. He made the cut in 17 of 20 events throughout the season, notching four top ten finishes and a victory at the 2017 Ras Al Khaimah Golf Challenge.
His best European Tour finish is third
In 2015, Dantorp performed exceptionally well at his home event at the Nordea Masters. Rounds of 67 and 68 saw him co-lead with fellow Swede Marcus Kinhult after 36 holes. He would end up finishing in a tie for third on Sunday, six shots behind eventual winner Alex Noren.
He ranks in the top ten in Strokes Gained Off-The-Tee
One of the keys to Dantorp’s game is his prowess off the tee. In 2018, Dantorp gains nearly an entire shot (0.96) on the field off the tee. He averages 295 yards (1.5 yards further than the two average) in terms of distance and finds the fairway 65 percent of the time (six percent more than the Tour average).
Next week’s Open could be his first Major
Dantorp currently holds one of the three automatic qualification places for next week’s Open Championship at Carnoustie. The top three players, not already exempt and inside the top ten, this week will earn an invite. Should he qualify, the 147th Open Championship would be his first Major appearance.
