The golf crowd at Ullna got to know yet another Swedish talent during Sunday’s final round. 24-year-old Townsend made eight birdies, which was enough for a -12 overall and tentatively a place just outside the top ten.
Behind him in the results list, he had, among others, poster names Alex Norén (–11) and Linn Grant (–5).
– It is fun. It goes up quickly if you play well in the last lap, says Townsend after his finish.
After his round of 64, he paid tribute to playing partner Eddie Pepperell (65 strokes) for a thoroughly impressive round. The humble Swede could not quite agree that he himself had played even better.
— It didn’t feel as good. He probably had more control, I played more Junes and amateur golf. It looked a little more professional when I checked him out,” Townsend says with a laugh.
He has golf in his blood. Father Peter Townsend is the Englishman who played the Ryder Cup for Europe in 1969 and 1971. He met the Swedish Sofia and moved to Boden when Hugo was a few years old.
— It was a little different. There were many hours indoors hitting balls into nets. I played a lot of golf when there were chances, but then it was video games and hanging out with friends and things like that in the winters. So I won’t say that I stood and pounded balls into a net every day, says Hugo Townsend.
After college studies in both Idaho and Mississippi, he has recently moved home to Sweden, probably temporarily. On Monday he will turn pro and this summer a number of competitions await on the Challenge tour. To begin with in the Czech Republic next week.
— Then you want to go to the United States. I’m quite comfortable there and have been there a lot in the last five years, so it will probably be a Korn Ferry qualifier, he says.