Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Eamon Doggett

Down golfer Jonathan Caldwell wins first European Tour event

Northern Ireland's Jonathan Caldwell has won his first European Tour title after shooting a 64 in the final round of the Scandinavian Mix.

The Down man had eight birdies, an eagle and two bogeys in his final round to finish the tournament on 17-under par.

But the highlight of the 37-year-old's round was undoubtedly a brilliant approach shot from the rough on the 18th to set up a closing birdie.

He then had to wait in the clubhouse to see if anyone could catch him and when Spaniard Adrian Otaegui three-putted the 18th green for bogey, Caldwell bagged his maiden win, €166,000 in prize money and a two-year exemption on the tour.

He said after the round: "It's been a dream of mine for an awful long time. A lot of hard work goes into it, and it hasn't quite sunk in yet. But hopefully there is more to come.

"In 2009 I played my first year on the tour and lost my card. I played my tours over the years, and worked as well in a local golf store. It's been a long road but finally I'm here."

The unique event was hosted by Swedish golf legends Annika Sorenstam and Henrik Stenson, with men and women competing against each other.

Caldwell said: "It's been a tremendous week. What they have done this week is fantastic. I hope we have more weeks like this.

"The golf course was tremendous. I played with some great girls this week. I got a fist pump from Annika when I came off 18, which was pretty incredible."

In an emotional post-round interview, the Down golfer struggled to hold back the tears.

He added: "The golf club at home will probably be going bonkers. So just put a tab on and crack on guys and enjoy.

"My parents have been with me the whole way. I look forward to talking to them tonight."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.