Hedwall vs. Hedwall

A funny thing has happened in the British Ladies Amateur Championship: There are four golfers left, and two of them are Hedwalls. And nobody can tell them apart. Because they are twins.

The Hedwall sisters - Caroline (or "Caro") and Jacqueline (or "Jacquo") - are 19-year-old Swedes. Caroline sports a plus-5.6 handicap, Jacquo a plus-3.9.

Caroline was runner-up on the Telia Tour Order of Merit (points based, not money based) in 2007, which earned her exempt status on the Ladies European Tour in 2008. But she turned it down to remain an amateur and will play collegiately for Oklahoma State next season. Jacqueline has fared well in some Telia Tour outings, too, and sank the winning putt for Europe in the Junior Solheim Cup last year. She'll be playing collegiately for Louisiana State next season.

But tomorrow, they'll be playing each other in a semifinal match at the British Ladies Am. Hedwall vs. Hedwall. I wonder if Ma and Pa Hedwall are banging their heads against the wall ...

Is there a sisterly rivalry?

"We've only played each other once in match-play before and Caroline won - but I'm going to beat her this time," said Jacqueline.

So, the British Ladies Am semifinals are:

• Caroline Hedwall, Sweden, vs. Jacqueline Hedwall, Sweden
• Roseanne Niven, Scotland, vs. Anna Nordqvist, Sweden

I was not familiar with Niven prior to this; an LGU article notes that she plays in the States for Cal-Berkeley. She defeated NCAA champ Azahara Munoz in the quarters. Nordqvist, an All-American at Arizona State University, is the two-time runner-up in this championship.