One of the most unique tournaments of 2024 is back on the scene: the Scandinavian Mixed. Sponsored by Volvo (which seems fitting given its location in Sweden), this event is truly one-of-a-kind as it combines the two major continental tours, the DP World Tour and the Ladies European Tour, with men and women competing together at the Vasatorps Golfklubb in Helsingborg.
This is the first time the tournament is being played at this course, including the editions when it was exclusively for men. For Italy, it’s a peculiar situation: since Matteo Manassero and Guido Migliozzi, along with Francesco Molinari, will be participating in the upcoming US Open, their journey to the States and the simultaneous higher-than-usual closure of the entry list means there are no Italian men competing in Sweden.
Scandinavian Mixed 2024, results
However, there are two women representing Italy: Alessandra Fanali and Virginia Elena Carta. In a tournament where Linn Grant became the first woman to surpass all men two years ago (with a significant lead), these two Italian players bring considerable significance to their journey to Scandinavian soil.
Both Fanali and Carta are aiming for the Olympics. While one is comfortably within the qualification quota, the other needs to climb 20 positions in the world rankings, but securing a spot within the top 300 would provide real certainty.
The Scandinavian Mixed and the Italian Open provide them with opportunities. On the men’s side, numerous notable names are present, including a large contingent of Swedish players such as Sebastian Soderberg, Jonas Blixt, Simon Forsstrom, Markus Kinhult, and Alexander Bjork, among others.
In the women’s field, almost all the top players from the continental circuit are competing, including English player Bronte Law, Belgian player Manon de Roey, and Swiss player Chiara Tamburlini, who currently rank first, third, and fourth respectively in the order of merit.
Fanali is currently ranked 18th in the order of merit. The Vasatorps Golfklubb has previously hosted the defunct Scandinavian Enterprises Open, won by Seve Ballesteros in 1978, which later merged with the PLM Open to form the Scandinavian Masters.
In terms of the Ladies European Tour, it hosted the Compaq Open won by Annika Sorenstam in 2002, and then the Helsingborg Open from 2013 to 2015.
