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At the tenth, after a massive drive and a laser-like pitching wedge, Hedblom almost knocked the flag out of it’s hole to move to ten under par. Her final birdie came at the par five 15th. And if it was not for a three putt at the last, when the tournament was well and truly in the bag, her scorecard would have remained blemish free.
“I played really well al week,” said Hedblom, who can rightly claim one-upmanship on brother Peter, who has lost in two playoff’s on the men’s European Tour this season.
“It’s been a tiring year at times and this is just so nice to end the season like this. It’s been a long time coming in my career. Sometimes I struggled to keep my card, but this has been well worth waiting for.
“My father was fantastic this week too, he kept me calm all and I owe him and my mother so much for everything they have done for me.”
Hedblom can now avoid qualifying school for at least three years with her newly won exemption, but being the final event of the year, those players outside the top 90 will have the invidious choice of reclaiming their playing rights, or not, at the end of October at Tour qualifying school in Portugal.
But one player who scraped into the top 90 after a 14th place finish here was England’s Sarah Heath. The 20-year-old from Shifnal in Shropshire began the week at 98th on the order of merit and after a final round 66, the best and most timely of her year, earning her a share of 14th spot she moved up to 83rd, comfortably inside the mark.
“It’s been more of a learning year as a rookie,” said Heath. “But after experiencing everything and learning not to think about making cuts and just play, I am really looking forward to next year now.”
