Essex native Dale Whitnell held his nerve to claim his maiden DP World Tour win after a thrilling final day of the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed at Olna Golf & Country Club in Sweden.
Whitnell set the tone for his week with a 96-yard eagle shutout on day one and carried that momentum to a second-round 61 that gave him a six-shot lead at the halfway point. The advantage was reduced to two with two to play with pressure on American Sean Crocker with a closing 65, but Whitnell birdied 17 to give himself some breathing room and signed a winning 70 and three runs at 21 under.
Anne Van Dam was the leading women’s player in the 15-under-69, along with Yannick Paul’s 72-card shutout, but the headlines belonged to Whitnell, who completed his long journey to the winner’s circle after 14 years as a professional.
The 34-year-old from Colchester played in the Walker Cup alongside Tommy Fleetwood in 2009 but had a courier service where he played on satellite tours before winning the KPMG Cup in his first season on the 2019 Challenge Tour. That was the same year, he secured his DP World Tour card at the qualifying school, and now, with three top-ten finishes already in 2023, he’s won his 106th start and moved into the top 20 of the classification for the Race to Dubai.
It’s fantastic. It really tested me out there. I was trying to play like I had no lead and just play my game. And I did. I hit a couple of bad hits at the wrong time, but I managed to limit damage, that’s why I stand here with a cup,
He added, “It’s been a long road for me, I have so many people to thank: my fiancée Angie, my caddy [Melia]Coach Craig [Lockwood], who I didn’t know flew in today, my mom and dad, Callaway, Travis Matthew, all my friends and family. It’s been a long time, but I’m high. He means everything to me, and it’s what I wake up for every day. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.”
Dutch Van Damme had a perfect 63 cards — the lowest score for women in the history of the innovative event that has seen 78 men and 78 women play the same course for the same prize — on day three, and she carried that momentum through to Sunday, where she took five cards. Birds and bogeys at 69.
Paul made one birdie and one bogey in his tour that left the German at 15-under, a shot ahead of England duo Gabriella Cowley, Paul Waring, Dane Soren Kelsen and Scott Ritchie Ramsey. Alexander Björk led the net in 13th place under 13 shots, one shot ahead of amateur Hugo Townsend and two ahead of Alex Noren and Sweden’s Madeleine Sagström.
For the final results from Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed, click here.
Dale Whitnell WITB
Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Jungle: Callaway Rogue ST LS (15°)
Hybrids: Callaway Apex UW (19°, 23°)
Irons: Callaway X Forged (5-PW)
Wedges: Callaway MD Forged (50°, 54°, 58°)
Racket: Odyssey Exo 2-Ball
Ball: Titleist Pro V1