It‘s just over 3,500 miles from Bromma, Sweden to Anderson, Indiana, the distance at some point traveled by 2017 Indiana Women’s Open Champion Anna Appert Lund. “I really like Indiana,” said Appert Lund. “I really like the Midwest and I wanted to be close to home and Indiana is my second home.” A 2016 Purdue University graduate, Appert Lund came to the United States to play college golf at Morehead State in Kentucky. After a year there, she transferred to West Lafayette where she finished her career as an All-Big Ten performer for the Boilermakers. Now that her professional career has started, she’s settled in Indianapolis and plays out of Prairie View G.C.
Playing in her first Indiana Golf event, Appert Lund fired and opening round of 2-under-par 70 to trail leader Katie Sharp by one on the Anderson C.C. layout. Paired in the next to last group, it didn’t take long for Appert Lund to grab control of the event making birdies on five of her first six holes. Apparently, for the winner, knowing you’re making all those birdies is secondary. “I don’t really know, I just played,” said Appert Lund of the start. “I think I birdied number one,” she remembered. That comment prompted someone to let her know she in fact birdied five of those first six, which seemed to catch her by surprise. In the end Appert Lund’s thought process was pretty simple. “I really just felt like sticking to my game plan, hitting my targets, getting my drive in the fairway, getting as close as possible to the pin and making the putt.” That game plan and a little reminder she had for herself. “I had a little note in my cart, in Swedish, with a couple of process goals I wanted to hit today,” said Appert Lund.
Despite a double bogey at the 8th-hole Appert Lund had built a lead that never allowed another competitor within a shot as she captured her first win as a professional. She birdied the final hole for good measure to card a 6-under-par 66 and a two round total of 8-under for a three-shot margin. “Yeah, it was pretty good,” Appert Lund summarized succinctly in her Swedish accent.From here, Appert Lund will fly back to Sweden for three weeks to visit and play a few tournaments back home while preparing for LPGA Tour Qualifying School in late August. When she returns, it should be a smoother transition than her first post-college trip. “When I came back (after graduation) to get my visa, I had to do all the paperwork, like renew my driver’s license and all those kinds of things,” she said with a smile.
Appert Lund posted the low round of the tournament in the final round, followed by Kayla Katterhenry who posted a final round 4-under-par 68 and a 5-under total giving her a solo runner-up and low amateur finish. Professionals Kelly Grassel, Brittany Kelly, PGA and defending champion, amateur, Julia Potter, shared third place. First round leader Katie Sharp finished in a tie for sixth with Paxton DeHaven.