SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2015 - 72° OPEN D'ITALIA presented by DAMIANI
RIKARD KARLBERG
·His first European Tour International Schedule victory in his 89th European Tour event.
·Moves to 501,875 points in The Race to Dubai.
·Could move to just outside the top 130 in the Official World Golf Ranking from 247th.
·This victory beats his previous best European Tour finish of third in the 2010 Barclays Singapore Open.
·Becomes the 11th first-time winner of the 2015 European Tour season. They are: Andy Sullivan (South African Open Championship Hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni), Gary Stal (Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship), Anirban Lahiri (Maybank Malaysian Open), Trevor Fisher Jnr (Africa Open), Jordan Spieth (Masters Tournament), Wu Ashun (Volvo China Open), Byeong Hun An (BMW PGA Championship), Rickie Fowler (Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open), Roope Kakko (Madeira Islands Open – Portugal – BPI), Thomas Pieters (D+D REAL Czech Masters) and Rikard Karlberg (72º OPEN D’ITALIA presented by DAMIANI).
·This victory beats his previous best 2015 European Tour performance of ninth in the Omega European Masters.
·Graduated from the 2014 European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage. Becomes the first 2014 graduate to win the year after graduation since Anirban Lahiri (2015 Hero Indian Open).
·Becomes the third 2014 Qualifying School graduate to win on The European Tour the year after graduation. They are: Anirban Lahiri (Maybank Malaysian Open and Hero Indian Open), Andrew Dodt (True Thailand Classic presented by Black Mountain) and Rikard Karlberg (72º OPEN D’ITALIA presented by DAMIANI).
·In his rookie year on The European Tour. Becomes the first rookie to win on The European Tour since Byeong Hun An (2015 BMW PGA Championship).
OTHER FACTS
·Becomes the third rookie to win on The European Tour in 2015. They are: Anirban Lahiri (Maybank Malaysian Open and Hero Indian Open), Byeong Hun An (BMW PGA Championship) and Rikard Karlberg (72º OPEN D’ITALIA presented by DAMIANI).
·Victory comes in his second appearance in the OPEN D’ITALIA.
·This victory beats his previous best finish in the event of tied 76th in 2013.
·Follows Patrik Sjöland (1998), Mathias Gronberg (2003) and Fredrik Andersson Hed (2010), as Swedes to win the OPEN D’ITALIA.
·Since the event became part of The European Tour in 1972, becomes the 38th different winner.
·Began the final round three shots behind. The 17th winner this season to make up a final round deficit to win.
·The 99th Swedish winner in European Tour history.
·Becomes the 29th different Swede to win on The European Tour.
·Becomes the 42nd player in European Tour history to win on The European Tour the year after graduation from the Qualifying School.
·Of the 42 players, 20 have been rookies.
·The 50th European Tour victory by a Qualifying School graduate the year after graduation.
·Gains a European Tour exemption until the end of 2017.
·Gains his largest European Tour prize of €250,000.
·Becomes the 15th European Tour victory on the 2015 European Tour by a former Challenge Tour player. They are: Branden Grace (Alfred Dunhill Championship and Commercial Bank Qatar Masters), Gary Stal (Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship), Richie Ramsay (Trophée Hassan II), James Morrison (Open de España), Byeong Hun An (BMW PGA Championship), Søren Kjeldsen (Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation), Alex Noren (Nordea Masters), Pablo Larrazábal (BMW International Open), Bernd Wiesberger (Alstom Open de France), Roope Kakko (Madeira Islands Open – Portugal – BPI), David Horsey (Made in Denmark). Lee Slattery (M2M Russian Open and KLM Open) and Rikard Karlberg (72º OPEN D’ITALIA presented by DAMIANI).
·Becomes the 369th European Tour victory by a former Challenge Tour player.
·Becomes the 142nd Challenge Tour player to win on The European Tour.
·Gains his seventh victory of his career.
