Dale Whitnell held his nerve to claim a maiden DP World Tour title with a three-shot victory at the Scandinavian Mixed.
The 34-year-old Englishman raced to a six-shot lead after the halfway stage of the tournament thanks to a second round 61 and remained in a commanding position going into the final round despite American Sean Crocker cut his advantage to four.
Whitnell, however, sunk a birdie on the 17th which reduced the pressure and culminated with a final-round 70 to finish on 21 under and close out victory at the Ullna Golf and Country Club.
“It’s awesome,” Whitnell said. “It’s been a long road for me, I’ve got so many people to thank – my fiancee Angie, my little dog, Craig my coach who I didn’t know flew out today, my mum and dad, Callaway, Travis Mathew, all my friends and family.
“It means everything to me.”
The triumph means that Whitnell climbs to 17th in the Race to Dubai rankings.
Whitnell has achieved three top 10 finishes so far in 2023 with the others coming in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the Thailand Classic.
Yannik Paul, a contender for the Ryder Cup, teamed up with Whitnell in the last group, but his chances dwindled as he carded a level-par 72. This placed him in a tied-third position with Anne van Dam, the top-ranked female participant in the mixed event where both men and women compete together on the same course, vying for a single prize fund and trophy.
The next event on the DP World Tour is the U.S. Open between June 15-18 taking place at the Los Angeles Country Club in the United States.