Dale Whitnell believes he has turned a corner with his game as he makes his first DP World Tour title defence at the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed.
The Englishman completed his long journey to the winner's circle 14 years after turning professional last year with a memorable performance at Ullna Golf and Country Club that saw him card a sensational second-round 61 on his way to a three-stroke victory.
Whitnell returns to Sweden with those memories still fresh in his mind and determined to produce a strong performance as the innovative mixed tournament visits Vasatorps Golfklubb this week with 78 men from the DP World Tour and 78 women from the Ladies European Tour competing for one trophy and one prize fund.
After making the cut in each of his first six starts of the season, Whitnell has since found the going tougher but, despite results perhaps not being as he'd have hoped for, he is seeing encouraging signs in his game as he looks to climb the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex during the European Swing.
"It’s a bit weird to be honest," he said. "It’s my first time defending a DP World Tour event, so it’s going to be a good experience and I’m going to embrace every second of it.
"I took a bit of time off, I didn’t play Japan and China. Technically it wasn’t where I wanted it to be. But the game now feels more where it should be.
"I feel a little more comfortable in Europe as well. I made the cut last week, didn’t play great at the weekend but it’s something to build on going into this week."
Whitnell, who played at the Walker Cup in 2009 alongside Tommy Fleetwood, had a spell as a courier as he played on satellite tours before winning the KPMG Trophy in his rookie season on the European Challenge Tour in 2019.
That proved to be the same year he earned his DP World Tour card at the Qualifying School and now, with the knowledge that perseverance is an asset, he hopes fond memories can prove a great source of inspiration.
"It’s nice to look back on victories," he said. "There’s a lot of times when you’re playing poorly, so you have to really look back at when you’re playing well and swinging well.
"There’s some good footage of that on YouTube. It’s always good to look back and see the differences to when you’re swinging it poorly."
Unlike as is often the case for a title defence, defending champion Whitnell is teeing it up at a new venue as the tournament visits a fourth different course since the format was introduced in 2021.
Founded in 1973, Vasatorps Golfklubb boasts four courses and a total of 57 holes and is hosting its first DP World Tour event since the turn of the century.
And Whitnell is impressed with what he has seen from the layout in practice ahead of teeing it up alongside Sweden's two-time DP World Tour Vincent Norrman and two-time Ladies European Tour winner Manon De Roey of Belgium.
"The course is different [from Ullna Golf and Country Club]," he explained.
"It’s very interesting. It’s a tale of two different nines, there’s a nine in the trees with narrow and long greens, and the back nine is more linksy and open, you can really feel the wind."
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