Alexander Björk writes this week's blog from Gardagolf Golf Club. The recent Volvo China Open winner focuses on his home country of Sweden and what it's like to be one of the latest victors from the Scandinavian nation.
It’s been a great two years. I had a really strong second half of the year on the Challenge Tour in 2016, followed by a good rookie year on the European Tour last year. I’ve been able to continue that good form into this year, so I’ve been really happy.
Has the time gone quickly? Yes and no. I’ve been a professional since 2009 and started out on the Nordic Golf League and then had three seasons on the Challenge Tour. When it got to 2016, I felt like it was time to make that next step onto the European Tour. Over the last two years it’s definitely gone quite quickly; from playing on the Challenge Tour to winning the Volvo China Open last month it’s felt fast, but before that it was definitely a slow start.
"The best round of my life"
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) April 29, 2018
Words from our Champion, @AlexBjorkGolf. pic.twitter.com/DsBJw5dYHV
My win in China wasn’t straightforward. We got in from Morocco on Tuesday lunchtime, so there was a lot of time in bed to be frank! There were two moments from that week on the final nine holes when I felt I was in with a real chance of winning. The first was when I hit the pin with my bunker shot on the 15thand made birdie. Then I made a birdie on the 17th and felt it was in my own hands. Obviously, when I holed the final putt on the 18th I knew something big had to happen for me not to win.
After I won, I called my girlfriend and then my mum and dad. My parents have been supporting me for so long, driving me to tournaments and supporting me financially when I first became a pro. It’s nice that I made it and I can give something back to them. It’s nice for them to come out and watch me and not have to drive me anymore!
When I was on the Nordic Golf League, I said to myself as long as I’m getting better I’ll give myself a chance. I was improving every year on that tour, so I thought if I’m not moving backwards I’ll keep going with it until I can’t do it any longer. I always thought I would make it one day, but you never know. There are one or two guys around who I played with on the Nordic Golf League, like Simon Forsström, Jens Dantorp and Christofer Blomstrand. They are all either on the Challenge Tour or have played on the European Tour. There aren’t too many of us; it’s 50/50 in Sweden between guys who go professional or go to college. I chose to turn pro and it seems like it was the right decision.
Golf in Sweden is very big. We have 700,000 golfers out of 10 million people, so more people than you’d think know what is going on out on tour. Although it’s a popular sport in Sweden, golf still has that struggle of being seen as an elite sport. It’s very affordable in Sweden, though, and anyone who wants to play can.
The Swedish media work has been hectic since I won in China. Whether it’s radio, newspapers or television interviews, it’s been very busy, but it’s fun when the media want to talk to you; it means you’re doing something right. I suppose the interest from Sweden started at the beginning of last season. I guess my third place at the Open de France was a point when it got busier for me media-wise. Swedish golf channels, websites and magazines have been interested and sometimes I think they’re almost too nice about me! From what family tell me, everyone has been talking well about me. That’s comforting to hear and gives me more confidence.
When I was really young, I looked up to Jesper Parnevik.When I was a teenager, I was influenced more by Stenson, and now, of course, Alex Noren has been very influential. It was really inspiring to see Noren win four events in 2016. It’s important to have role models from your country that you can look up to.
I’ve caught up with Stenson and Noren a few times since joining the European Tour. I’ve had dinner with Stenson once and with Noren a few times. I also speak to them on the practice range and was able to catch up with them during some of the Rolex Series events. I’ve got to know them better and they speak to me about golf-related things and also about things away from golf. I’ve been asking them how they do certain things, like how they went about things when they first came out on tour. They’ve been really helpful in answering all my questions and helping me. We talk in general about tour life, but we also talk as friends.
It’s fair to say Swedish golfers come across as quite calm. I try to stay as calm as possible, because it suits my game. If I get overexcited I can’t play as well, so maybe it’s the same for Henrik and Alex. Big gestures don’t always work!
Any time we get a break in the schedule I go home to Sweden. If I could fly home between tournaments then I would, but it’s not always possible. If I’m on a three-week stretch, I’ll go home after that. I go home as much as possible, because I appreciate it more now. You learn to value the time you’re home more. On tour you generally just see golf courses and hotel rooms. Whenever I’m back in Sweden, I like to be more alongside nature and go boating out on the lakes, but only if it’s good weather!
It was special to be made an honorary ambassador at Växjö Golf Club in Sweden recently. It’s my home course and it’s where I started playing golf 22 years ago. I grew up there and had all my practice and events there. It’s everything to me, so that was special and a nice surprise.
I’m really proud to be from Sweden, so it’s always been special to be an ambassador for my country. I’ve represented them in junior golf and then in GolfSixes a few weeks ago. It’s a special feeling to play for the flag and wear the blue and yellow. I don’t think it makes me more nervous; at GolfSixes it was a very different event, but it’s nice to have that extra motivation and it makes you fight harder for what you want to achieve.
