Finland's Jenni Eskelinen Stuns Favorite Kristin Tattar at Tyyni Open Women's Division

The landscape of European disc golf took an unexpected turn last weekend as Finland's Jenni Eskelinen emerged victorious in the Open Women's division at the Tyyni tournament near Helsinki. The victory marked a major upset, as many had predicted Estonian Kristin Tattar to claim the title.

Tattar was widely favored to win, having dominated the competition in 2019 and boasting an impressive 18-point rating advantage over her nearest competitor. In fact, she was the choice of 70% of participants in UDisc's Grip6 Pick6 contest, with nearly 800 more votes than the next closest female contender.

However, Eskelinen had other plans. After playing solid golf throughout the first two rounds on the converted ball golf course Nevas and the wooded Ford course, she found herself tied for the lead going into the final round at Sibbe. The challenging course, with its mix of open and wooded shots and plenty of elevation, proved to be a formidable opponent.

The battle for the top spot saw multiple twists and turns throughout the day. Norwegian Lykke Sandvik took an early lead on hole 1, but Eskelinen's bogey on hole 6 allowed Tattar to pull into a three-way tie with a par. Tattar then seized the lead on the next hole, only to have it slip away on the 10th when she air-balled a crucial putt that would have tied her with Eskelinen.

Eskelinen's birdie on the 11th put her back in contention, and she maintained her advantage until the 16th, where Tattar had another chance to tie. However, the Estonian faltered once again, landing outside the basket and leaving Eskelinen a two-stroke lead with just two holes remaining.

The tension continued to build as both players made their way through the final holes. Tattar got a birdie on 17, but Eskelinen's par kept her one stroke ahead going into the OB-heavy 18th. Both players' drives went out of bounds, setting up a thrilling conclusion.

In the end, it was Eskelinen who remained calm and composed, sinking her final putt from four meters to secure the win. For Tattar, the disappointment was palpable. "Something just felt wrong," she admitted, citing poor putting as the main culprit for her struggles throughout the tournament.

Eskelinen, on the other hand, was overjoyed with her victory. The win marked a much-needed confidence boost during a season that had seen her struggle to find her form. "This is personally a big win for me and it means a lot," she said. "I've had a tough season, and I haven’t got my game working. This victory gives me a huge amount of encouragement and motivation to trust myself on the disc golf course."

Finland's Heidi Laine completed the podium with a third-place finish, having started the final round three strokes behind the leader but ultimately snagging the spot with a strong showing on 18.

The win is set to propel Eskelinen into the European Open, a PDGA Major taking place from July 18-21.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/eskelinen-escapes-tyyni-win-over-tattar