By: Martin Park

(Sunningdale, England July 31 2004) Minea Blomqvist from Finland set the lowest score at a Women's major championship with a stunning ten under par 62 during the third round at Sunningdale Old Course at the Weetabix Women's British Open.

The 19-year-old from Helsinki broke the course record - set by Karrie Webb at this event in 1997 - with a round comprising of six birdies and two eagles and equalled her 62 which she set en route to her maiden victory in Hungary at the OTP Bank Central European Open three weeks ago.

The Finn started the tournament well with a four under par 68, which included seven birdies and a triple bogey at the 11th hole. But in the second round, Blomqvist racked up 40 putts in a six over par 78 and only just made the halfway cut at two over par.

But, starting the day 11 shots behind leader Karen Stupples from England, Blomqvist raced out of the blocks with an eagle three at the opening hole, hitting a driver and a seven wood to 21-feet, dispatching the putt.

Immediately, it gave Blomqvist the feeling that something special was going to happen.

At the uphill par three fourth hole, Blomqvist fired a six iron to 18-feet and rolled the putt in and at the following hole, yet another monster putt found the bottom of the cup to move to four under after five holes.

The ninth hole was in reach for her and after hitting her driver to 25-feet, she two-putted once again to turn in 31 shots.

Her second eagle of the day came at the tenth hole where she chipped in from the front of the green and with the leaders yet to go out on the course, the two-time Junior Solheim Cup star made a beeline for the lead.

With a lob wedge approach to the par five 14th, Blomqvist sank the resulting 20-foot putt and at the next, hit her tee shot behind the scoreboard at the side of the green. Getting a free drop from the referee, Blomqvist made an excellent up and down and kept the momentum going for what would be a grandstand finish.

A driver and a six iron to the 16th saw her add her fifth birdie of the day to equal Webb's nine under mark, but at the last hole, Blomqvist made history in remarkable fashion.

With the pin tucked precariously behind the right hand greenside bunker, the Finn opted to play safely, perhaps too safely to the left side. Two putts seemed the likely outcome, and three putts were eminently possible. But not for this teenager, who showed no fear as she rattled the ball against the flagstick from 60-feet away and watched the ball disappear for her second 62 in three weeks.

“Yesterday, I was just happy to make the cut to go on in the tournament,” said Blomqvist, who has won three professional events this year and the Order of Merit on the Nedbank Women's Golf Tour in South Africa.

“I made an eagle and then went on and I had a feeling today that everything is going good and that's always and easy feeling to take.

“I knew immediately that it was my own record when the putt went in on the 18th. I was nervous at the time and I was thinking I was going to make par, but I would like to make birdie.”

In fact, the only thing she missed all day was the step leading into the scorers' hut where she signed for the equal lowest score on the Robe di Kappa Ladies European Tour. Even then she kept her composure, smiled and signed her place in the history books.

Blomqvist matched the mark of 62 set by Norway's Suzann Pettersen at last years final round of the HP Open in Sweden and also Trish Johnson's 62 in the 1996 French Open. However, Johnson's 62 was 11-under around the par 73 Arras GC in Northern France.

Blomqvist sits three shots from third round lead, shared by American Heather Bowie and Mexico's Lorena Ochoa. Christie Kerr from the USA is one shot behind after playing her first 14 holes in eight under par and is tied with second round leader Karen Stupples who has had three birdies and a double bogey in her first six holes.