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Big congrats to Marianne Skarpnord who won the 2012 Ladies Norwegian Challenge today at Hauger Golfklubb in Skjetten, Norway.  The Norwegian star led the final round from start to finish, really never looking back despite tricky greens and windy conditions on the final day of competition.

link: 2012 Ladies Norwegian Challenge photo gallery 

Marianne Skarpnord on the podium at the 2012 Ladies Norwegian Challenge

Univ of Arkansas-Little Rock's Sofia Berglund at the 2012 Ladies Norwegian Challenge

Daniela Holmqvist (Sweden) teeing off from the 6th during the final round at the 2012 Ladies Norwegian Challenge

While we have enjoyed many LET Access Series tournaments over the past few years, it was our first Nordea Tour event.  Great to see the LET and Nordea Tours working together, co-sanctioning tournaments.  And if the Ladies Norwegian Challenge was any indication, it is a great step forward for womens golf in Europe at the feeder tour level.   Just have to say (again) kudos to both the LET and Nordea for making it happen.

Linda Henriksson teeing off from the 9th during the final round at the 2012 Ladies Norwegian Challenge

The level of competition was simply outstanding.  The scores were less reflective of the level of play than at some other tournaments that I’ve seen.  The hilly layout at Hauger has more than it’s fair share of blind (uphill) approaches.  The greens were in good shape, but weren’t rolling 100% true and had quite subtle breaks close to the pin positions. However the greenskeepers had done a great job getting the course into tournament shape on short notice, since the tournament was orginally planned for nearby Losby.

Galina Rotmistrova teeing off from the 15th during the final round of the 2012 Ladies Norwegian Challenge

It was really interesting to see all of the Norwegian and Swedish amateurs who competed in the tournament. While I knew a few of them from Q school, LETAS or other tournaments, it was the first time I had seen many of them compete.  Not sure that I can remember a pro event where so many amateurs made the final cut.  It reflects well on the strong development work that has been done by the Norwegian and Swedish national golf federations.

Our congratulations to all of the golfers, the LET, the Nordea Tour, Hauger Golfklubb, the tournament sponsors, the volunteers and the grounds crew for a great week of golf.  Well done all !

Norwegian amateur Olivia Hullert on the 2nd green during the final round of the 2012 Ladies Norwegian Challenge

We managed to get great photos of nearly all of the golfers, so we’ll be adding a lot to the gallery over the weekend.  It may take a while to post, since I want to get a few online of all of the golfers who competed and I’m trying my best to get everyone’s names right – if you notice any mistakes, please let me know so that I can correct them.

Also watch for our photos over on the LET Access Series website – more will be also posted over there in the next day or so.   Also be sure to check out photos from the tournament at golfphoto.no who were also photographing the tournament this week and got some great ones.

Malin Lundberg near the 6th tee during the final round at the 2012 Ladies Norwegian Challenge

Camilla Lennarth (Sweden) teeing off from the 12th during the final round at the 2012 Ladies Norwegian Challenge