20 September 2021: Kristoffer Broberg bridged a six-year gap as he claimed an emotional victory at the Dutch Open, the Swede earning a three-stroke win after holding his nerve down the final stretch and fending off several fierce challengers to his eight-stroke third round lead. Ajeetesh Sandhu and Shubhankar Sharma capped off another strong week finishing in T22 and T27 respectively.
Sandhu shot an even 72 in the final round while Shubhankar ended the week with a two under 70.
Broberg admitted he had endured “six years of hell” before battling his way back to triumph at Bernardus Golf, having broken onto the scene by overcoming American Major winner Patrick Reed in a play-off en route to his maiden European Tour title at the 2015 BMW Masters.
Broberg needed all his mental fortitude in the Netherlands as he struggled to build any momentum in a level par front nine. A birdie at the tenth seemed to steady the ship as Germany’s Matthias Schmid, among others, piled the pressure on the four-time Challenge Tour winner from Stockholm.
But dropped shots at the par five 12th and the 14th, where he drove into the water, set up a nervy finish as Schmid got to within two strokes of a huge upset. Broberg, however, holed a long birdie putt at the par three 17th to all but rubber-stamp his second European Tour title, signing for a level par 72 and a 23 under total.
Schmid earned his best European Tour finish with outright second place on 20 under, courtesy of a final round 66, while Spain’s Alejandro Cañizares claimed third place on his own despite a double-bogey finish, carding a four under final round for a 19 under total.
Player Quotes
Kristoffer Broberg: “I’m happy right now but my game wasn’t there today, I was struggling all day. I didn’t feel comfortable with the ball but I’m happy to pull it off.
“The chip-in at 12 didn’t really change any momentum because I hit a bad three wood on 14 into the water, but I had a great up and down at 15 so I was happy with that, and then I just pulled my tee shot on 17 but made the putt for birdie so I’m happy with that. It means a lot, it was six years of hell.
“The first few days I played really good. Today I was struggling like I was in the off season. I thought my eight shot lead would be enough today, but Matthias (Schmid) played some really beautiful golf.
“It’s been a nightmare (over the last six years). I was so close to quitting, it’s been so… I don’t know the word for it, but it’s been a tough time. This is way bigger (than his last win in 2015), more emotions.
“I was in category 17, missed my card by €5,000. It’s going to be a game changer. I’ll get in to bigger events and can plan my schedule a little bit. Before this I was at home for a month. I didn’t know where the game was, but it was good enough.”
Final Scores
265 K BROBERG (SWE) 68 64 61 72,
268 M SCHMID (GER) 68 69 65 66,
270 A CA?IZARES (ESP) 68 67 67 68,
273 D VAN DRIEL (NED) 72 66 66 69, T DETRY (BEL) 67 66 70 70,
274 R SANTOS (POR) 67 71 68 68, J VEERMAN (USA) 70 67 68 69, R MANSELL (ENG) 71 64 67 72,
275 J HARDING (RSA) 68 68 73 66, T PIETERS (BEL) 69 71 68 67, J JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 71 68 67 69,
276 B GRACE (RSA) 72 68 67 69, N KEARNEY (IRL) 65 69 71 71, M HELLIGKILDE (DEN) 67 66 68 75,
277 R FOX (NZL) 72 68 69 68, M SIEM (GER) 68 69 71 69, M KIEFFER (GER) 66 68 72 71, A SADDIER (FRA) 70 68 68 71,
278 D HORSEY (ENG) 68 70 70 70, O LIESER (CZE) 68 67 72 71, A COCKERILL (CAN) 67 71 69 71,
279 J HANSEN (DEN) 71 68 70 70, W NIENABER (RSA) 68 72 69 70, G MCDOWELL (NIR) 71 66 70 72, A SANDHU (IND) 69 69 69 72, R LANGASQUE (FRA) 69 69 68 73,
280 M ANTCLIFF (AUS) 73 67 71 69, S SHARMA (IND) 70 66 74 70, D DRYSDALE (SCO) 72 65 73 70, S MAURITS (NED) 68 69 73 70, R ROUSSEL (FRA) 70 70 68 72,
281 B STONE (RSA) 68 73 72 68, C SORDET (FRA) 70 71 71 69, C WOOD (ENG) 69 69 74 69, N VON DELLINGSHAUSEN (GER) 70 71 69 71, J SENIOR (ENG) 73 67 69 72, P HANSON (SWE) 70 69 68 74
