Alexander Björk is looking to build on his promising recent European Challenge Tour form when he returns to a course he knows well at the D+D REAL Slovakia Challenge.
Three consecutive top 15 finishes make the Swede one of the most consistent players on Europe’s top developmental tour, where he currently lies in 27th place in the Road to Oman Rankings.
The 26 year old was challenging at the Nordea Masters in his native Stockholm last month, when he was a joint leader after two rounds in only his second European Tour start.
Although competing for a top spot against Europe’s elite was new for Björk, he believes the experience will stand him in good stead for the rest of the season – starting at Penati Golf Resort this week.
“It was good to see that my game is good enough to be at the top of the European Tour,” said Björk whose highest finish of the season came at the rain-affected Montecchia Open by Lyoness where he was tied fourth.
“It was a really good experience in Stockholm and I think I was fifth after three rounds. I had a bad finish but it has given me a lot of confidence going back to the Challenge Tour again.
Alexander Björk at the Nordea Masters
“I feel like I have the game and I have the swing so I have just stayed patient – it’s starting to pay off now.
“I have been working on my putting which is not as good as I would like it to be but my swing has been really good so it has been a great few weeks.”
Sweden’s Björk will be returning to a happy hunting ground in Penati Golf Resort, where he finished eighth last season.
“I think the course in Slovakia is one of the best we play all year,” he said. “I really like it there and we stay in a nice city, the weather is usually good, and it is a great tournament so I am really looking forward to going back there.
“It has really good greens and there are a lot of trees which line the course that I like. I enjoy playing courses like that where the setting is really nice.
“My goal is to reach the top 15 this year and hopefully I can continue playing well and achieve that.”
Joining Björk in Senica will be Germany’s Bernd Ritthammer who won his maiden Challenge Tour title in Aalborg last week at the Made in Denmark Challenge – Presented by Ejner Hessel.
Road to Oman Rankings leader Jordan Smith will also be teeing up in Slovakia, looking to extend his 13,000-point advantage at the top of the leaderboard.
