Joakim Haeggman Stays Cool in Hot Conditions, Beats Host Jeev to Inaugural HSBC India Legends Championship Title

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A call to his son, Felix, who turns 15 next week, was the first emotion Joakim Haeggman displayed after his wire-to-wire win at the inaugural HSBC India Legends Championship on Sunday (September 1).

Haeggman's final round at the Jaypee Greens Golf Course was an even-par 72, but it had its share of tense moments before he clinched his second Legends Tour title.

The Swede maintained his composure despite the challenging conditions, finishing where he began the day at 9-under, securing a two-shot victory over England's Andrew Marshall (73-71-65).

Marshall had the best final round of the day, finishing with a 7-under 209. Indian golf legend Jeev Milkha Singh (68-68-76) was tied for third with Germany's Thomas Gögele (74-70-68) at 4-under.

It was a proud week for India, with Jeev leading the charge. Behind his T-3 finish was Jyoti Randhawa (68-72-74), who ended tied for ninth at 2-under 214. Mukesh Kumar and Amandeep Johl also had solid showings, finishing T-15 and T-22, respectively.

Jeev, ever gracious in defeat, said, "I would like to congratulate Joakim Haeggman, whom I call Haggy. I have known him for years. Well done to him, he played beautifully today."

He added, "Honestly, as the host of the first Legends Tour tournament in India, I think all the players are very happy and they're going to take back good memories. I think I've done a good job with that.

"I would like to thank all the people on board for making this event happen and to make it a success. I would like to thank HSBC India for coming forward, and all the other sponsors. Especially, thank all the players for coming down and playing this week."

Haeggman, the first Swede to play in the Ryder Cup in 1993, expressed his delight at the week's events, saying, "It's been a fantastic week for me, brilliant. I've been driving the ball well, which is sometimes my Achilles' heel, not being a perfect driver of the golf ball. I've been able to hit a lot of fairways and greens."

Reflecting on the challenging conditions, he added, "It's been a really long two and a half days in the heat trying to stay on top and not lose focus. I had one mistake today, and that got Jeev and the boys back into the tournament. I'm really happy that I managed to keep it going."

The final round was not without its drama. Haeggman's drive on the first hole showed some nerves, resulting in a bogey that brought him level with Jeev. However, the Swede quickly recovered with birdies on the second, fourth, and fifth holes, regaining his lead.

Meanwhile, Jeev struggled with the heat and the weight of expectations, carding three bogeys against just one birdie in the first nine. The overnight lead of one shot for Haeggman had swelled to five as they made the turn.

However, the door opened slightly as Haeggman bogeyed the 14th and then the Par-5 15th, where Jeev made a birdie, shrinking the gap. Despite the pressure, Haeggman held his nerve, while Jeev was unable to capitalize on opportunities at the 16th and 17th holes, keeping the gap at two shots as they approached the 18th tee.

On the final hole, Haeggman played a steady par, while Jeev's attempt to force a playoff ended in disappointment as he found the water and finished with a triple-bogey seven.

Speaking about the last few holes, Haeggman said, "In the end, it got really exciting, more exciting than it needed to be. Having had a nice five-shot lead, Andrew Marshall posted a score, and I could see that."

Haeggman also shared a touching moment, revealing, "My son has been following my progress at 4 am each day. He was never interested in golf and has only started playing over the last couple of years. He's now down to a six handicap, so I'm sure he is very happy with this trophy."

On his first visit to India, Haeggman was full of praise for the experience, "The experience in India has been fantastic. I mean, the treatment we've had, we stayed in a fantastic hotel, the food's been great. We have all been really, really happy with everything. It's been fantastic. And I will be back."

Source: Media Release