Lindell clinched a fantastic second place, losing to the winner by just one stroke – “It’s an absolutely amazing feeling”
Oliver Lindell was in contention for victory right up to the final hole in the final event of his gruelling tournament series in Amsterdam. The Finn kept his game together superbly throughout all four rounds, right up to the thrilling final moments. On Sunday, under intense pressure and in difficult conditions, he carded a 69 (-2) for the third time and moved into second place on his own with a total score of -10. Only two players managed to shoot under par on every round – Lindell and the tournament winner.
His first career victory – in both the main European tour and the challenger tour – was closer than ever. Although second place is often the most bitter, Lindell saw no reason to be disappointed.
“It’s an absolutely brilliant feeling. I kept it together right right to the very end. My swing was a bit shaky this week. Still, I kept the ball in play all week, apart from one shot on Saturday. It’s a game, after all; I finished strongly, even if it wasn’t always pretty,” replied Lindell when asked whether the victory was deserved given his performance.
In the end, Lindell was the only one who managed to keep up with Eugenio Chacarra, who had started the day in the lead, right to the very end. After 13 holes, the Finn was still on +1 for the round, but after that the battle for victory really heated up. The Porvoo native birdied holes 14, 15 and 18, putting the pressure on the Spaniard. Chacarra sealed his second career victory with a birdie on the final hole, finishing at -11.
Lindell hasn’t necessarily been regarded as the best player on the tour when playing in strong winds. Lindell, who sometimes spins the ball heavily, has often been criticised by armchair pundits for not hitting the ball with less side spin.
“It was a really relaxed atmosphere all day. It gives you a huge confidence boost when your putting is on the money. To be honest, it was quite hard to believe I could pull off a performance like this after a tough week and a long run of competitions. On the other hand, the tough conditions presented a big opportunity. The fact that I was able to card every round for under 70 in these conditions was a real achievement. The slice really worked out this week,” Lindell remarked with a twinkle in his eye.
There has been no need to question Lindell’s ability to hit the ball in his second season – at least not justifiably. This week, however, his confidence was particularly evident on the greens, in addition to his usual fine ball-striking. The soft-handed Virvik’s player was also among the best, if not the best, around the greens this week.
“My short game and putting were key this week; they helped me fight my way to a great result. And when I hit some good approach shots, I was able to convert them into birdies.”