Former champ Caroline Hedwall returns for Hero Women’s Indian Open

By Rahul Banerji

Former Hero Women’s Indian Open winner Caroline Hedwall will be back in action in Gurgaon a month after ending a six-year long title drought.

The popular Swede, HWIO champion in 2011, travels to India having won the Lacoste Ladies Open de France. It broke a six-year title drought for the 29 year old.

Hedwall made her Ladies European Tour debut with a bang, winning four titles including the Hero Women’s Indian Open and the LET Order of Merit in 2011.

After that, she had managed only one more win.

Added incentive

The field will have the added incentive of a record purse of half a million dollars to play for at an event to be held over 72 holes for the first time. It will also be telecast live globally.

Hedwall heads a list of 11 stars from the LET’s top 20 in the current Order of Merit. Five of last year’s top 10 finishers including Vani Kapoor will be in the fray.

Hedwall is one of the two past LET Order of Merit winners in the field – the other being Beth Allen – and she is also one of the two past champions to make a return.

The field includes defending champion Camille Chevalier of France, who after her win last year has had a modest season with five cuts in 10 starts.

Unique opportunity

In 2011, the event was held at the DLF Golf and Country Club’s Arnold Palmer course.

If she wins this year, Hedwall will become only the second to win the event more than once, but the first to win it on both the Arnold Palmer and Gary Player layouts at the DLF course.

Current form suggests Hedwall could be in title contention. She has played seven LET events and missed just one cut. She also has four top-10 finishes including the win in France.

Beef takes Hero Challenge

Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston sparkled under the lights at London’s Canary Wharf to win the second Hero Challenge of the year.

The popolar golfer beat back world no. 2 Justin Rose, defending British Masters champion Paul Dunne, Hero Indian Open winner, Matt Wallace and Danish Ryder Cup heroes skipper Thomas Bjørn and Thorbjørn Olesen.

The players had to find a pontoon green off a custom built tee-box. They were split into two groups, with each player having six shots to score points. Two players from each group advanced to the semis.

Good start

In Group One Johnston got made a splash with his first shot but off his second shot spun the ball back for 20 points.

Hero Indian Open 2018 champion, Wallace put his first two shots in water but scored five with the third for his only points. That left Rose an easy target to beat to make the semi-finals.

Rose hit what was probably the most spectacular shot off the evening, pitching almost straight into the hole to secure 50 points.

He followed that up with a 15 and a 20 and landed yet another shot on the last hit for a whopping total of 90 points.

In Group Two, Ryder Cup Captain Bjorn got a massive ovation even though he missed with his first five shots but the last shot fetched him 20.

Dunne scored 25 with his second ball and added a ten with the last. Olesen missed his first four shots but he spun his fifth shot back for the second 50 of the night for a place in the semi-finals.

Rose and Olesen then missed out, leaving Dunne and Johnston to duke it out for the trophy.

A thrilled Johnston said later, “To do it in front of the home fans is always good. I always get great support wherever I go but London is special because it’s my home.”

Also read: Half-million-dollar boost for Hero Women’s Indian Open