Loran Appel, Anne-Sterre Den Dunnen win shortened Dutch National Stroke Play

As rain continues to cause havoc on some amateur championships this summer, the 2023 Dutch National Stroke Play Championship is the most recent victim.

The Championship's normal format is 72 holes with a cut after 36 holes, but due to heavy rain on the third and fourth day, the championship was just 36 holes this year with no cut.

At the end of the first two days, Loran Apple of Netherlands and Anne-Sterre Den Dunnan were the two winners in the Ladies and Gentlemen Divisions.

For Appel, he won the Gentlemen's Division by five shots after finishing 10-under total and after a first-round 4-under 68 and a second-round 6-under 66 to slam the door shut on the field.

The 18-year-old phenom, who will be heading to the College of Charleston in the fall as an incoming freshman, also won the U22 Dutch National Championship earlier in the summer.

Appel made 15 birdies, three bogeys, and one double bogey en route to the 10-under. He took advantage of the finishing stretch of holes, as he was 7-under on holes No. 15, 16, 17, and 18 through the two days.

He birdied Nos. 15, 16, 17, and 18 during the second round to run away from the field.

Lars Van Der Vight finished in second place at 5-under, and Jack Ingham and Tim Van Der Steen finished T3 at 4-under.

Anne-Sterre Den Dunnan won the Ladies Division by one shot after finishing at even par. Rosanne Boere finished in second place at 1-over and Lynn Vander Sluijs finished in third place at 4-over.

Den Dunnan finished two-over for her last six holes, but Boere could not make enough birdies down the stretch to put real pressure on Den Dunnan.

Den Dunnan got off to a slow start in the first round with bogeys on holes No. 2 and 3 but birdied holes No. 6, 7, 8 and 9 to get going.