Haraldur Franklín Magnús and Valdís Þóra Jónsdóttir Icelandic Champions in Stroke Play

The 4th tournament of the Eimskip series, The Icelandic Championship in Stroke Play, took place this past week, July 26th-29th 2012.

Icelandic Champions in Stroke Play are Haraldur Franklín Magnús, from Golf Club Reykjavík (abbreviated GR) and Valdís Þóra Jónsdóttir, from Golf Club Leynir (abbreviated GL) in Akranes.

The Championship this year was exciting to say the least.

In the Women´s flight the final contestants were 3: Valdís Þóra and Anna Sólveig Snorradóttir and Tinna Jóhannsdóttir, the two latter mentioned from Golf Club Keilir (abbreviated GK) in Hafnarfjörður.  The results weren´t decided untill on the 18th hole. At tee off Anna Sólveig had a 1 stroke lead; she only had to make par to win the tournament or get bogey to force a playoff, provided the either one of the other two got birdie.  But she ended with a double bogey and Tinna Jóhansdóttir with a bogey so Valdís Þóra who made par won the Championship.

It was pretty much the same in the Men´s flight. Rúnar Arnórsson from GK had the lead, a 1 stroke one, on the 15th hole, but Haraldur Franklín Magnús, GR,  made birdie on the 16th hole (only one of 2 in his round of 2 under par) whereas Rúnar got a bogey and then Haraldur Franklín went into a 1 stroke lead which he maintained for the next two holes and won. By winning he became the first of his club GR to do so in 27 years.

Haraldur Franklin´s victory score was a 7 under par, 273 strokes (67 74 64 68)  score and Valdís Þóra´s was a 13 over par, 293 strokes (71 75 72 75).

Both will be studying and playing golf in the US next year, Haraldur Franklin as a freshman at Mississippi State ane Valdís Þóra will continue at Texas State.