Alexander Björk Explained

Alexander Björk
Fullname:Alexander Karl Mikael Björk
Birth Date:7 June 1990
Birth Place:Växjö, Sweden
Weight:76kg (168lb)
Residence:Jönköping, Sweden
Yearpro:2009
Tour:PGA Tour
European Tour
Extour:Challenge Tour
Nordic Golf League
Swedish Golf Tour
Prowins:5
Eurowins:1
Asiawins:1
Chalwins:1
Otherwins:3
Masters:DNP
Usopen:DNP
Open:T41: 2023
Pga:T39: 2024

Alexander Karl Mikael Björk (born 7 June 1990) is a Swedish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour and PGA Tour. He won the 2018 Volvo China Open, and has recorded runner-up finishes at the UBS Hong Kong Open, British Masters, DP World Tour Championship, Ras Al Khaimah Championship and Omega European Masters. In 2023, he finished 5th in Race to Dubai Eligibility Ranking to receive a PGA Tour card.[1]

Professional career

Björk turned professional as a teenager in 2009 and joined the Swedish Golf Tour, where he won his first event as a professional, the Swedish PGA Championship, in his rookie season.

In 2012, Björk became the first golfer to list himself through Trade in Sports, an exchange for athletes, funding the launch of his professional career by pledging 10% of winnings to investors.[2]

Challenge Tour

In 2013, he won the Arlandastad MoreGolf Open and finished 6th in the Nordic Golf League rankings to earn promotion to the Challenge Tour. His international break-through season came in 2016, where he won the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in France and secured a card for the European Tour through a seventh place on the 2016 Challenge tour rankings.[3] The season saw eight top-ten finishes including a tie for second at the Terre dei Consoli Open in Italy. He reached a rank of 181 on the Official World Golf Ranking.[4]

European Tour

On the 2017 European Tour, Björk shared the lead with Peter Uihlein heading into the final round of Open de France, an Open Qualifying Series and Rolex Series event with a purse of US$7 million. He eventually finished tied for third,[5] which earned him a spot at the 2017 Open Championship and saw him rise to 116 on the OWGR.[6]

In the opening tournament of the 2018 European Tour, Björk shared the lead heading into the final round of UBS Hong Kong Open, but shot his second in the bunker on the final hole and missed a short putt for par and a playoff, finishing tied for second.[7] In April 2018, the week after he finished third at Trophée Hassan II, Björk won his first European Tour title at the Volvo China Open in Beijing, moving into the top ten of the 2018 Race to Dubai rankings[8] and a world ranking of 73.[6] In October he was runner-up at the Sky Sports British Masters. He finished the season 19th in the Race to Dubai and with a career-high world rank of 59.[6]

Björk made less of an impact in 2019 and 2020, but comfortably kept his card. He was tied for third at the Hero Open in England in August 2020, his best finish since 2018.

In 2021, Björk finished tied second with Matt Fitzpatrick at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, two shots behind winner Collin Morikawa, and advanced to 12th on the final 2021 Race to Dubai ranking.

During 2022, Björk surpassed €5 million in career earnings, but struggled with a back injury and missed the latter part of the season.[9] After three months of rehab, he returned to tour for the 2023 UAE swing, where he finished joint runner-up at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, one stroke behind Daniel Gavins, missing out on a playoff after a bogey on the final hole.[10]

In September 2023, Björk was solo runner-up at the Omega European Masters, two strokes behind compatriot Ludvig Åberg who birdied four of the closing five holes to record his first win as a professional.[11] He finished the season 11th in the Race to Dubai and 5th in PGA Tour Eligibility Ranking to receive a 2024 PGA Tour card.[12] In his first PGA Tour start, at The American Express, he shot an opening round of 64 to sit 2 strokes off the lead.

Professional wins (5)

European Tour wins (1)

1Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour

Nordic Golf League wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
126 Sep 2009PGA of Sweden National Open−7 (74-65-70=209)1 stroke Joakim Renström
213 Sep 2013Arlandastad MoreGolf Open−12 (67-62-69=198)3 strokes Gustav Kocken

Other wins (1)

Results in major championships

Results not in chronological order in 2020.

Tournament2017 2018
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open
The Open ChampionshipCUTCUT
PGA ChampionshipCUT
Tournament201920202021202220232024
Masters Tournament
PGA ChampionshipCUTT39
U.S. Open
The Open ChampionshipCUTNTCUTT41CUT
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
NT = No tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Results in World Golf Championships

Tournament 2018 2019
ChampionshipT39
Match Play
InvitationalT48
ChampionsT28
"T" = tied

Team appearances

Professional

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Player profile Alexander Björk . PGA European Tour . 5 February 2023.
  2. Web site: Alexander Björk . Trade In Sports . sv . 25 July 2016.
  3. Web site: Bjork inspired by Stenson as he wins Le Vaudreuil . PGA European Tour . 24 July 2016 . 25 July 2016.
  4. Web site: Alexander Björk. OWGR. 21 November 2016. 28 December 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181228081526/http://www.owgr.com/en/Ranking/PlayerProfile.aspx?playerID=14775. dead.
  5. Web site: 2017 HNA Open de France . PGA European Tour . 8 September 2017.
  6. Web site: Alexander Björk. Official World Golf Ranking. 8 September 2017. 28 December 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181228081526/http://www.owgr.com/en/Ranking/PlayerProfile.aspx?playerID=14775. dead.
  7. Web site: UBS Hong Kong Open Day Four. European Tour. 26 November 2017.
  8. Web site: Brilliant Björk Wins Maiden Title in Beijing. European Tour. 29 April 2018.
  9. Web site: Strömberg . Martin . Björk i slagläge inför slutronden: Efter skadeproblemen – på väg mot bästa tävlingen på över ett år. . Svensk Golf . 5 February 2023 . sv . 4 February 2023.
  10. Web site: Daniel Gavins secures dramatic Ras Al Khaimah Championship victory . European Tour . 5 February 2023.
  11. News: Ludvig Aberg boosts Ryder Cup hopes with impressive DP World Tour win at European Masters . 3 September 2023 . Sky Sports.
  12. Web site: Race to Dubai Rankings - PGA Tour Eligibility . PGA Tour . 19 January 2024.