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**truebluefan** · 06-16-2008, 10:03 AM

Moss & Rygge GK, Dilling, Norway

**truebluefan** · 08-08-2008, 10:41 AM

Australia’s Andrew Tampion will head to Norway for this week’s Lexus Open attempting to become the first player of the 2008 European Challenge Tour to win back-to-back titles.

England’s David Horsey won twice in three weeks a month ago but, to date, no player has captured successive titles. Now the 23 year old from Melbourne has the chance to do just that after his excellent win in last week’s Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson.

“Now I’ve got the confidence from winning I hope to push on and continue playing as well as I have and hopefully hole some more putts,” said Tampion, who moved up to 25th on the Challenge Tour Rankings. “I’ve never been to Norway before so it should be a good experience.”

Also making the trip north are emerging talents Jonas Blixt and Richie Ramsay who both head to head to Norway with their games in good shape following excellent performances in Athlone.

Source

**truebluefan** · 08-08-2008, 10:41 AM

Englishman Adam Gee stormed into the lead after the first round of the Lexus Open in Norway and admitted he hoped it was the start of a successful run to the end of his European Challenge Tour season.

The 27 year old Londoner carved an excellent course record eight under par 64 from the Moss & Rygge Golfklub in Dilling to take a two shot lead over the Scandinavian quintet of; Oskar Henningson of Sweden, Denmark’s Jeppe Huldahl, Finland’s Antti Ahokas and two of the most exciting prospects of Norwegian golf, amateurs Anders Kristiansen and Are Friedstad.

Currently 86th on the Challenge Tour Rankings, Gee acknowledged he will need more of the same the rest of the week as well as in the two remaining months of the season if he is to move up and finish in the top 20 players who automatically receive playing privileges for The 2009 European Tour at the end of the year.

“I would describe my season so far as average which is a little bit frustrating,” said Gee, who is attached to The Wisley Club to the south of London. “I have played well enough in flashes but I just haven’t been consistent enough. I have started well in tournaments but haven’t kept it going – hopefully it will be a different story this week.

Source

**truebluefan** · 08-08-2008, 10:42 AM

Home advantage proved to the liking of Lars Brovold after the Norwegian shot a second successive flawless 67 to take the early second round lead at the Lexus Open on the European Challenge Tour.

Brovold opened by picking up a shot on the 10th hole – his first of the day – before carding two more on his front nine and then posting back-to-back birdies on the second and third hole after the turn.

The 29 year old moved to 10 under par for the tournament at the Moss & Rygge Golfklub in Dilling, one stroke clear of Swede Oskar Henningsson and Scotland’s Duncan Stewart who carded rounds of 69 and 67 respectively.

“I played really solid golf today,” said the giant 6ft 5in Scandinavian. “I actually missed a few chances but I putted well. This course is only 30 minutes away from where I live in Norway so have played here quite a few times. I know the course well.

“A few people came down to watch me and I had a nice little crowd following me round which was fun.”

Source

**truebluefan** · 08-09-2008, 11:39 AM

Home favourite Lars Brovold shot a second successive flawless 67 to share the lead with fellow Scandinavian Jeppe Huldahl at the halfway mark of the Lexus Open on the European Challenge Tour.

Norwegian Brovold and Dane Huldahl are locked on 10 under par, a shot clear of three players, after a low scoring day at the Moss & Rygge Golfklub in Dilling, Norway.

Home advantage proved to the liking of Brovold who opened by picking up a shot on the 10th hole – his first of the day – before carding two more on his front nine and then posting back-to-back birdies on the second and third hole after the turn.

“I played really solid golf today,” said the giant 6ft 5in Scandinavian. “I actually missed a few chances but I putted well. This course is only 30 minutes away from where I live in Norway so have played here quite a few times. I know the course well.

“A few people came down to watch me and I had a nice little crowd following me round which was fun.”

The 29 year old has yet to make an impact on the Challenge Tour this season, missing two cuts and finishing tied 41st and 58th in his previous four tournaments, but he has been working on improving the mental side of his game.

He said: “I’ve been playing quite well but I’ve been having some problems with the mental side of the game and I’ve not been consistent.

“I’ve been working with my psychologist to speed up my pre-shot routine. Instead of thinking about it too much I’m just aiming at the target and hitting it. I’m trying to react more.”

Brovold was then joined at the top of the leaderboard by Huldahl, who flew out of the traps with three birdies in the opening four holes. He dropped a shot at the fifth hole before birdies at eight and nine. The Dane, currently 17th in the Challenge Tour Rankings, took a one shot lead at the 16th hole but then bogeyed the 17th when he missed the green for a round of 68.

He said: “These have been the two best rounds I have played this season. I am striking the ball really well and I’m feeling very confident going into the weekend, although there is a lot of golf to be played.

“I’m hoping to win some Euros this weekend. I’m in the top 20 at the moment but on the Challenge Tour you can easily drop out so you have to keep it going each week.

“I played perfect golf on the first few holes today. That is the way that you want to start. I gave myself a lot of chances on the front nine. It was a very solid round.”

Brovold and Huldahl are a stroke clear of Swede Oskar Henningsson, Norway’s Paul Nilbrank and Scotland’s Duncan Stewart who carded rounds of 69, 67 and 67 respectively.

Overnight leader Adam Gee fell back after a second round 73 to move to seven under par for the tournament.

Italian Nicola Maestroni aced the 155 yard par three 14th hole, holing his seven iron tee shot, en route to his 71 to move to five under par.

**truebluefan** · 08-09-2008, 10:51 PM

England’s Richard Bland birdied six of the last seven holes to move into a share of the lead with Denmark’s Jeppe Huldahl going into the final round of the Lexus Open in Norway.

Bland, joint runner-up in last week’s Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson, continued his good form with an eight under par 64 at Moss & Rygge GK to move to 14 under par alongside Huldahl, who carded a 68.

“It was nice to go out on Saturday and perform to give myself a chance on Sunday,” said Bland. “Nothing much was happening on the first six or seven holes but I managed to make a few birdies on the back nine. I have putted well all week and feel very comfortable on these greens and it showed coming in.”

Bland picked up three birdies against a bogey on the front nine but roared home with five successive birdies from the 12th and then a birdie on the last put the icing on the cake.

Source

**truebluefan** · 08-10-2008, 09:21 PM

Dane Jeppe Huldahl won his maiden professional title with a comfortable two stroke victory over Scot Steven O’Hara in the Lexus Open in Norway.

Five birdies in a sublime opening 15 holes at Moss & Rygge GK took the 26 year old out of reach and allowed him the luxury of two dropped shots in his last three holes. His closing 69 for a 17 under par total of 271 was two better than O’Hara, who mounted an early challenge with three birdies but was unable to press on and finished with a four under par 68.

Joint overnight leader Richard Bland of England carded a level par 72 to finish in joint third on 14 under par with Allessandro Tadini, the Italian carding a 69.

But the day belonged to Huldahl as the 2003 Danish Amateur Strokeplay Champion made his long-awaited professional breakthrough. Joint second in the Scottish Challenge at the MacDonald Cardrona Hotel Golf and Country Club at the end of June gave a hint that this could be Huldahl’s season and he duly delivered in Norway.

His victory earned him a winner’s cheque of €24,000 and lifted him from 17th on the Challenge Tour Rankings to fourth, consolidating his position within the top 20 places which earn promotion to The European Tour at the end of the season. Huldahl last played The European Tour International Schedule in 2004 having won a card through the Qualifying School as an amateur in 2003.

“I’m over the moon,” said Huldahl. “This win sets me well on my way to securing my European Tour card and that means everything to me. I’m thrilled.

“I got up and down well today and that helped me through although I did get a little nervous coming in. Fortunately Steven bogeyed the 17th and that gave me a two shot cushion playing the last.

“I can hardly believe it. I now want to press on and finish as high as I can on the Rankings. When I first played on The European Tour it was my first year as a professional but I am more experienced now and this win is huge for me.”

Former Walker Cup player O’Hara also advanced into the top ten with a move from 20th place on the Rankings to ninth thanks to his cheque of €16,500.