Tournament host Annika Sörenstam has hailed the success of the mixed event concept and the genuine competition out there between men and women ahead of the third edition of the innovative Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed.
Now in it's third successive year, the tournament has proved a ground-breaking platform for equal numbers of male and female golfers to compete alongside and against one another for the same trophy over the last two years.
With a field comprised of 78 men and 78 women, inclusivity has been showcased in the co-sanctioned event from the out-set.
While Northern Ireland's Jonathan Caldwell ultimately won the first event in 2021 at Vallda G&CC, Sweden's Caroline Hedwall made history as the first female to hold the outright lead in a DP World Tour event following the second round, and England's Alice Hewson contended late into the final round on her way to a third place finish.
Last year, Linn Grant's dominant nine-stroke victory stunned the rest of the field at Halmstad Golf Club in her rookie season on the Ladies European Tour, and Sörenstam says the success of the contest, and the set-up of each golf course, has been proven through these results.
"The course has been set up really well every time we have played and you can see that in the results," she said.
"The first year you had a male winner and last year we had a female winner and it shows there is competition out there, it’s exciting, and it’s good to have it here in Sweden."
"I know that the players are enjoying either playing with the men or the men playing with the women, I think it’s a great concept and I think it’s sparked some interest the last few years.
"Overall the feedback is super positive."
Elaborating on Grant's memorable triumph, Sörenstam praised her young compatriot - who she played alongside during the first two days of last year's competition.
"It was amazing in a lot of ways.
"I think we were all impressed by her performance. Everyone can play well a day or two, but then the weekend came and she was in the last group and she literally somehow found another gear and then it was Sunday and she found another gear and it was just really impressive to see how she handled the pressure, how she represented the game and then obviously to be a Swedish player and play in front of the home crowd I’m sure she felt the pressure but you couldn’t tell. She was really dominant and I’m very happy for her."
The tournament heads to a another new venue this week in Ullna Golf & Country Club, which boasts a rich history of hosting professional golf events.
Designed by Swedish sports hero Sven Tumba in 1981, Ullna Golf & CC is situated on the banks of Lake Ullna, just 20 minutes north of Stockholm. It's a course which previously hosted the Scandinavian Enterprise Open on the DP World Tour from 1983–1987, and also held the HP Open on the Ladies European Tour - won by Sörenstam in 2004.
The ten-time Major winner said she is delighted to come back to the area where she grew up this week, and has already received a lot of great feedback about the course set-up.
"It’s great that it’s here and to come back to the Stockholm area which is where I’m from and have this beautiful course, this venue and this weather, and the people," she said.
"The feedback has been fantastic from many of the players and caddies etc and obviously it’s teamwork and the people behind the scenes have done an excellent job, whether it’s the golf course, organisation, set-up, it’s been fabulous, so we look forward to a wonderful week."
The course itself features plenty of water, and at just 6,800 yards for the men, is one of the shortest on the circuit all year. According to Sörenstam, strategy and the impact of wind will both play a factor in deciding a champion.
"Distance is not really a factor for many of them, it’s more of a strategic golf course.
"Strategy, playing in different spots, having distance control, but I would say the greens are quite tricky. There are a lot of run outs and you can miss by a little and end up by a lot so that puts a lot of pressure on the short game which I think is good.
"I think the wind here plays a factor. You can feel right now in the afternoon the wind picks up and it makes it a little more narrow, trickier, but I welcome that, I think it's good because otherwise I think it would be a shoot-out out here."
As for own expectations this week, Sörenstam admits that while she will be teeing up in this week's event, her primary focus is promoting the women's game and the tournament as a whole.
"It’s OK," she said of the status of her game, having missed the cut in both previous editions of this event.
"Not as great as I want it to be. I’m working on a few things, which every golfer does, but you know I have to be patient and try to go out there and just hit the fairways and the greens and feel comfortable out there. But I’m happy to be here.
"My game is not really why I’m here, I think it’s more about promoting women’s golf and putting this tournament together with the team and that’s what I enjoy."
The 52-year-old tees up on Thursday for her opening round alongside four-time DP World Tour winner Rafa Cabrera Bello and compatriot Madelene Sagström at 8am local time.
