The Swedish Challenge hosted by Robert Karlsson takes place at Katrineholms Golfklubb this week and we’ve delved into the archives to look at some of the key facts and figures from the two-year history of the event.
First –during his victory last year, Estanislao Goya seemed to enjoy playing the first hole. The Argentine carded a birdie four on the first hole in all four rounds – the perfect start.
Two –albatrosses in Swedish Challenge history. Frenchman Romain Langasque was the first to achieve the feat in 2016 when he found the cup in two at the 17thhole during the second round. Garrick Porteous, a one-time winner on the European Challenge Tour, then recorded his first albatross at the par five sixth during the second round last year.
Three –players competed in a play-off in 2016. Welshman Oliver Farr, England’s Ben Stow and Joël Stalter, of France, all finished on 12 under par and therefore extra holes were required to determine a winner. The trio all carded a par at the par four 18th– the first extra hole – before Stalter triumphed with a birdie when they returned to the same hole for a second time, bettering the efforts of both Farr and Stow.
4.29 –is the average of last year’s hardest hole. The par four tenth – measuring 410 yards – witnessed only 16 birdies throughout the week, with 294 pars. There were 127 bogeys and 14 double bogeys as the back nine showed its teeth at the earliest opportunity.
11 –European Tour wins by Robert Karlsson, the host of the Swedish Challenge. The 2018 Ryder Cup vice-captain won his first event in 1995 by triumphing at the Turespana Open Mediterrania and has since won multiple times across Europe and in the Middle East. His most recent victory was the 2010 Dubai World Championship presented by DP World.
48 – eagles at the 17thhole over the last two years. The penultimate hole is statistically the easiest hole on the course, according to the last two years’ scoring. In addition to the 24 eagles, there were a further 489 birdies and 297 pars.
62 –the course record at Katrineholms Golfklubb, set by Joel Sjöholm. The Swede was one under par going into the third round and stormed into third place with a thrilling ten under par 62. Sjöholm opened with an eagle on the par five first, before carding four birdies as he made the turn in 31. He achieved the same score on the back nine with a further four birdies to set a new course record at Katrineholms.
70 –is the highest round by a Swedish Challenge winner. Stalter opened with a two under par 70 before going on to secure his maiden Challenge Tour crown in 2016.
601 – the length, in yards, of the longest hole at Katrineholms Golfklubb. The par five sixth measures a little over 600 yards, but two players managed to record better than a birdie last year. Porteous secured his first career albatross, while Moritz Lampert carded an eagle on the monster par five.
6,937 –the length of the course, in yards. It features four par fives, four par threes and ten par fours. The shortest hole is the 186-yard par three 16th.
