Lost the tips of his index and middle fingers of his left hand when he was only seven after a rope snapped during a tug-of-war at a party when his family lived in Zambia. As a result Matthias has always played golf with a baseball grip. Brought up with golf as his father, Lars Goran, initially worked in grass development and then became a greenkeeper at Barsebäck Golf Club when the course first hosted the Volvo Scandinavian Masters. His father is now Club Director at Abbakås in Sweden. Guaranteed his playing privileges for the 2004 season when he finished 30th in the Qualifying School Finals.