Smilla Tarning Sønderby

Smilla Tarning Sønderby (born 22 July 2000) is a Danish professional golfer. She plays on the Ladies European Tour and won the 2023 KPMG Women's Irish Open.[1] In 2021, she won the NCAA Championship with Ole Miss.[2]

Smilla Tarning Sønderby
Personal information
Born (2000-07-22) 22 July 2000
Fredericia, Denmark
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Sporting nationality Denmark
Career
CollegeUniversity of Mississippi
Turned professional2021
Current tour(s)LET (joined 2022)
Professional wins1
Number of wins by tour
Ladies European Tour1
Best results in LPGA major championships
Chevron ChampionshipDNP
Women's PGA C'shipDNP
U.S. Women's OpenCUT: 2022
Women's British OpenDNP
Evian ChampionshipDNP

Amateur career

Sønderby, from Kolding Golf Club, joined the National Team in 2017 and represented Denmark at the 2018 European Girls' Team Championship, the 2019 European Nations Cup, and twice in the European Ladies' Team Championship, winning the bronze in 2020 together with Cecilie Finne-Ipsen, Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen and Amalie Leth-Nissen after beating Switzerland 21⁄2–1⁄2 in the bronze match.[3]

She lost the final of the 2019 Danish National Match Play Championship to Cecilie Finne-Ipsen,[4] and in 2021 she finished runner-up at the Danish National Stroke Play Championship, one stroke behind Nicole Bonde Lorup.[5]

Sønderby finished 3rd at the 2020 Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship, behind Alessia Nobilio and Carolina López-Chacarra.[6][7]

She was educated at Handelsgymnasiet Ikast-Brande before enrolling at the University of Mississippi in 2020, majoring in journalism. Playing on the Ole Miss Rebels women's golf team, she helped her team win the 2021 NCAA Championship, taking part in three of four rounds and shooting a season-low round of 72 on the final day.[8]

Professional career

Sønderby quit university after one season and turned professional, after securing a place on the 2022 Ladies European Tour in Q-School at La Manga Club in December 2021.[9] Her best finish in 2022 was a tie for fourth at the KPMG Women's Irish Open, where she sat in joint second place behind Moa Folke at the halfway point following opening rounds of 69 and 65 at Dromoland Castle.[10] She finished her rookie season 69th in the Order of Merit and 9th in the Rookie of the Year rankings.[11]

Sønderby made her major debut at the 2022 U.S. Women's Open at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, after qualifying at Buckinghamshire Golf Club in England.[12] She missed the cut after rounds of 75 and 73.[13]

In 2023, Sønderby was in second place ahead of the final day of the Jabra Ladies Classic in South Africa, and finished the tournament fourth with a final round of 72.[14]

In September 2023, she earned her first win on the Ladies European Tour at the KPMG Women's Irish Open.[15]

Since the beginning of her professional career her caddie is Mikołaj Kniaginin. They first teamed up for the first stage of the LET Q-School.[16]

Amateur wins
  • 2018 Mon Open
  • 2019 Cobra-Puma Skanderborg Open, Bravo Tours Masters, DGU Elite Tour Finale Damer and Piger
  • 2020 Lyngbygaard Junior Open

Source:[17]

Professional wins (1)

Ladies European Tour wins (1)
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory		 Runner-up
1 4 Jun 2023 KPMG Women's Irish Open 71-67-72-62=272 −16 Playoff Sweden Lisa Pettersson
Netherlands Anne Van Dam

Ladies European Tour playoff record (1–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
1 2023 KPMG Women's Irish Open Sweden Lisa Pettersson
Netherlands Anne Van Dam		 Won with eagle on first extra hole

Team appearances

Amateur

Source:[17]

References
  1. "Smilla Tarning Soenderby". Ladies European Tour. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  2. Larsen, Jesper Frigast (27 May 2021). "Frøken Smillas fornemmelse for sejr" (in Danish). golf.dk. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  3. "Three in a row for Sweden". European Golf Association. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  4. "2019 Danish National Match Play Championship". WAGR. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  5. "2021 Danish National Stroke Play Championship". WAGR. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  6. "Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship". WAGR. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  7. Keogh, Brian (1 February 2020). "Top 20 for Grant as Nobilio wins Portuguese Ladies Amateur by eight". Irirsh Golf Desk. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  8. "Women's Golf Roster: Smilla Sonderby". University of Mississippi. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  9. Christensen, Frits (22 December 2021). "Smilla Sønderby Turner Professionel" (in Danish). Golfavisen. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  10. Reid, Philip (23 September 2022). "Leona Maguire struggles to find momentum at Dromoland Castle". The Irish Times. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  11. "Order of Merit". Ladies European Tour. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  12. Søe, Henrik (17 May 2022). "Smilla Sønderby er klar til sin første major". golf.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  13. "Player Bio: Smilla Sonderby". USGA. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  14. Damgaard, Peter (24 February 2023). "Smilla blev nr. 4, da Casandra Alexander vandt Jabra Ladies Classic" (in Danish). 19hul. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  15. "Soenderby wins Irish Open in play-off after 62". BBC Sport. 3 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  16. "Smilla i Miki wygrywają na Ladies European Tour". Golf Channel Polska. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  17. "Smilla Tarning Sonderby". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
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