Goya charges to Sweden victory

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<p>Estanislao Goya produced a stunning final round to claim his first European title in eight years after triumphing at the Swedish Challenge hosted by Robert Karlsson.</p>
<p>The two-time European Challenge Tour champion entered the final day at Katrineholms Golfklubb two shots off the lead after three consecutive rounds of 69.</p>
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<p>After three birdies in his first four holes, the Argentinian reduced the deficit to just one shot behind overnight leader Ross Kellett.</p>
<p>The 29 year old, whose last European victory came at the dual-ranking Madeira Islands Open in 2009, dug deep as his rivals fell away, carding four more gains before tapping in for a 65 – the lowest round of the day in Katrineholm.</p>
<p>With his nearest challenger Mikael Lundberg needing to eagle the last to force a play-off, Goya was forced to wait for his seventh professional win.</p>
<p>Following Sweden’s Lundberg bogey at the last, an exultant Goya was overjoyed to return to the winners’ circle with a three-stroke triumph.</p>
<p>“It feels amazing,” he said. “I haven’t won for so long now, so to be a winner again is such an amazing feeling. I haven’t been so calm on a golf course for such a long time – and I was just really calm all week.</p>
<p>“I had a three-putt bogey at the tenth yesterday but after that I shot three birdies in a row, and it was my mental state that was the key factor for me this week.</p>
<p>“I am hitting my irons really good and I was able to read the greens really well this week. I just putted really well and managed to judge the speed from the beginning of the tournament.</p>
<p>“When I was six under today I knew it was good as the greens were firm and it was windy but I hadn’t seen the leaderboard until I had finished.</p>
<p>“At the start of the round I just went out with the mindset that I should just play my own game and see what happens.</p>
<p>“I have been playing well since the start of the year, and I knew that I needed to stay patient and the results would come.”</p>
<p>After struggling for form last season, Goya admitted he was close to calling time on his career, but said he persevered after advice from his wife Henni Goya – a former professional golfer on the Ladies European Tour and Sky Sports presenter.</p>
<p>“I was not in a good place with my golf,” he said. “I finished at the Made in Denmark and I really wasn’t enjoying things and was thinking of stopping.</p>
<p>“I took a break, then played Qualifying School when I shouldn’t have, then only started playing again in March this year.</p>
<p>“I think that break allowed me to realise that I love golf and I really enjoy playing golf. My wife really helped me through this process – she had been through the same experience – so she was the main factor in me coming back and the main reason I am here now.”</p>
<p>With his win in Sweden, Goya moves up 45 places to 11th in the Road to Oman Rankings – while Lundberg, who finished tied second alongside America’s Sihwan Kim, jumps up to 14th.</p>
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