It was in Wales in 1986 as Ove Sellberg as the first american won on the european Tour. Since then, the yellow and blue golfers won 110 times on the european Tour (see box).
But before Marcus Kinhult, 22, won the British Masters last Sunday had almost a year passed before Alex Norén won the last on the european Tour, then in Paris.
” It has been sluggish for a while. We have rightly talked about the crisis. When the players that are expected to deliver does not make it exposed how it looks behind it, ” says Katarina Vangdal, who is the head coach for both young amateurs and for professional players on the international level of the Swedish golf federation.
She continues:
” We have been starved of success for a while. But now came the victory at the right moment.
one of the most successful amatörgolfarna. But in the beginning of the high school years, there was much that went wrong for the listed from Skaftö GK in Bohuslän.
the 22-year-old lost his spelrätt on the european Tour already in the first year. But worked his way back. And 2018 he took a few at the top.
this season had Kinhult just passed kvalgränsen in two of the eight races before success in the British Masters which meant 6.2 million in prize money.
– Marcus victory means a lot, I think, above all, it is fun when young players take the step you hope. Marcus has worked hard and long and is a good role model, ” says Katarina Vangdal.
do not think that Kinhults victory in the British Masters was unexpected.
” It came a little earlier than I thought. But it was great fun and well deserved. It’s always fun when the hard work pays off, ” she says.
re-growth is obviously important in the Swedish proffsgolf.
– There are many people who are working on, but there are a couple of players that maintain our position and that we live on. In this way, we are fragile. Then we see that it is thin behind, says Vangdal who think that it was important that it was a young player who Kinhult, who now had his international breakthrough.
“Hopefully he will be inspiring others,” she says.
and Alexander Birch is Sweden’s highest ranked player. But soon Marcus Kinhult the top 100 in the world. He climbed the 98 placements in the world to place 112 after the victory in Southport.
” It’s a hell of a competition in the world and it is growing all the time. Now the last time it was a sydkorean (Sung Kang), who won on the PGA tour, ” says Katarina Vangdal.
On Thursday starting PGA championship at Bethpage State Park BK Course in Farmingdale, New York.
Three swedes turn out in the year’s second major: Henrik Stenson, 43, Reyes, 36, and Alexander Birch, 28.
Kinhult is not qualified, but the future looks bright for Sweden’s new star.
to Marcus Kinhults victory can be the start of something really big.
– Now when he won his first victory, I think it can come off properly. Mentally it means a lot that he finally got the win. I think we’ll see him in many big races to come, ” she says.
Katarina Vangdal:
” What I think is important in my role is that we have players in the majors, the Ryder Cup, the Solheim Cup and the OLYMPICS. This is what creates an interest for the sport, ” she says.
