Former Champion Caroline Hedwall confirms participation at this year's Hero Women's Indian Open

Gurugram, October 12:Caroline Hedwall, who won the Hero Women's Indian Open in 2011 in her rookie year, has confirmed her participation in this year's edition of the tournament. The now 33-year-old Swedish star, who blazed her way through at the HWIO in 2011 in what was her rookie year, will have great memories of the Hero Women’s Indian Open when she gets back next week to the DLF Golf & Country Club.

She won hearts all over as she took the title with her mother, Yvonne on the bag at the Arnold Palmer course at the DLF Golf and Country Club. A year later she was runner-up at the same venue and tournament.

Caroline will be coming back for her fifth start at the Hero Women’s Indian Open. Armed with a win and two runner-up finishes in four starts, she is looking for more glory and seeks to add to her collection of six LET wins, four of which came in her sensational rookie year in 2011. Her last win was in the 2018 Lacoste Ladies Open de France. She also has three wins in Australia, one of them in 2011.

A regular on the Solheim Cup team in her early years, she missed out in 2021 but is looking to get back in 2023 in Spain.

Though her first two starts were at the Arnold Palmer layout, her love for the DLF Golf & Country Club as a venue stayed. By the time she returned in 2016, the event was being played at the new Gary Player course, but the results from Hedwall were still great.

Hedwall has an enviable record at the HWIO. After the win in 2011, she was second a year later in 2012, when she lost to Phatlum Pornanong of Thailand. When Hedwall returned in 2016 she saw a new rookie do what did five years earlier – win the Hero Women’s Indian Open. It was India’s own Aditi Ashok and Hedwall was T-23 that year. After skipping 2017, Hedwall was again in contention in 2018 and finished T-2.

One of the most endearing qualities about Hedwall has been how she has had her family close to her in her moments of joy. In 2011, she had her mother, Yvonne, as the caddie and in 2018, it was her non-identical twin, Jacqueline, on the bag. Little wonder, she enjoys great popularity in India.

After her sensational breakthrough season in 2011, Hedwall played on the LPGA a lot. From 2012 to almost 2019-20, she was teeing up often in the US and at times she was dividing her time between the two Tours across the Atlantic.

Though she played golf at the famous Oklahoma State University in the US, Europe is where Hedwall seems more comfortable. That despite the fact she came close a few times to win in the US. She was runner-up once in 2012, a year after taking the LET by storm, and three times she was third or tied for third in 2013 on the LPGA besides several other Top-10s.

Yet, her results were way better on LET in Europe. In 2018 she had a win, her last one on LET in France and 5 top-10s in nine starts. They included the win in France and two seconds, including the Hero Women’s Indian Open. In 2019 she showed love for LET with 5 Top-10s in 12 starts and was sixth on OOM. She also represented Europe on the winning Solheim Cup team at Gleneagles. It was her fourth Solheim Cup appearance, with her being on the winning side three times. It was a busy season as she also played in 13 LPGA events, too, and made 11 cuts and crossed US$2 million in career earnings.

In 2020 in six events, she was twice third, in Dubai and Saudi International. Technically, she played 10 events on the LPGA, but two of those events were in Europe and two in Australia. By 2021, it was clear that she was happier on LET. In 13 starts she had four Top-10s and finished 35th on the Race to Costa Del Sol.

As 2022 started, Hedwall began to show better form. This season Hedwall has had four Top-10s. Three of those have been in her last four starts – T-8 at Skafto Open, T-8 at Aaland 100 Ladies Open and T-5 at Lacoste Ladies Open de France.

So, there is every indication that Hedwall is looking at another shot come the Hero Women’s Indian Open at the DLF Golf & Country Club, which is scheduled from October 20-23, 2022.