Ah, Sweden—the land of stunning landscapes, IKEA, and apparently, flawless rounds of golf.
Mikael Lindberg decided to treat Vesterby Links like his personal playground on moving day at the Indoor Golf Group Challenge, carding a bogey-free five-under-par 66 that left the competition chasing his dust—or rather, his divots.
From the get-go, Lindberg was all business. A birdie on the first hole set the tone, and by the time he made the turn, he’d racked up another at the eighth.
Like a man on a mission, he found more red numbers on the 12th and 13th holes before finishing with a flourish at the last.
Now sitting pretty at 13-under, Lindberg is three shots clear of Northern Ireland’s Dermot McElroy, who must be wondering if he’s chasing a Swede or a ghost.
What’s the secret sauce, you ask? According to Lindberg, it’s all about keeping the ball out of Vesterby’s notoriously gnarly rough.
“I stayed patient all day and kept the ball in play,” he said, no doubt with the calm demeanour of someone who’s seen this movie before.
After all, he did bag his maiden Challenge Tour title here two years ago. “I’ve been hitting a lot of drivers, and continued with that today. I feel like the wind has been pretty much from the same direction all three days.”
Lindberg’s not just resting on his laurels, though. He’s got a game plan that involves a lot more of the big stick off the tee—drivers on every hole but the 9th. “That’s my plan for tomorrow as well. Hopefully, I can hit some good drives again,” he mused, probably already picturing his next round in his mind.
With McElroy snapping at his heels at 10-under, and fellow Swedes Jesper Sandborg and Joakim Lagergren just one stroke further back, the final round promises more twists and turns than a Nordic noir thriller.
And let’s not forget Spaniard Alvaro Hernandez Cabezuela, who blitzed the course with a sizzling 65 to climb into fifth place at eight-under.
As the final day dawns, Lindberg’s got history on his side and a home crowd eager to see him repeat his past glory. But golf, as we know, has a wicked sense of humor.
“Of course it’s in the back of my mind that I’ve done it before,” Lindberg admitted. “But I’m going to try and play the course as I have been playing it the first three days. I’ll stay aggressive and see where it takes me.”
So, as the sun rises on what promises to be an electrifying final round at the Indoor Golf Group Challenge, all eyes will be on Lindberg.
Will he keep his cool and add another trophy to his collection, or will one of the chasers spoil the Swedish party? Only time—and perhaps a little bit of golfing magic—will tell.
