Profile Gabriel Hjertstedt- Two time PGA TOUR winner

Career Highlights
2 Tournament Victories on the US PGA TOUR.
First Swedish Player to win on the US PGA TOUR.
Has competed in all four “Major” Golf Championships.
5 top-10 finishes on the European Tour.
Represented Sweden in Dunhill Cup and World Cup.
Rookie of the year Australia and Sweden
Winner World Junior Championship and European Boys
Winner World Amateur Team Championship

Career History
Amateur Career
Born in Umeå, Sweden, Gabriel had an outstanding
amateur career that put Sweden on the map of world
golf. Gabriel’s victory in the European Boys Championship
and Doug Sanders World Junior Championship in 1989
showed that he had great potential to become one of the
world’s great players.






This victory among other outstanding results placed Gabriel amongst the best amateur golfers
in Sweden. In 1990, he was one of four players selected to represent Sweden in the World
Amateur Team Championship held in New Zealand. Gabriel’s individual performance at the
championship was a key factor in Sweden’s 13 stroke victory in the event.

Professional Career
Australia (1990 – 1992)

In late 1990, after his success at the World Amateur Team Championship,
Gabriel made the decision to turn professional. Gabriel qualified for the Australasian PGA Tour
and had instant success recording top-10 finishes in the Johnnie Walker Classic and the
Air New Zealand Open. This success earned Gabriel the Rookie of the Year award
for the Australasian PGA Tour in 1990.
In 1992, Gabriel finished 4th in the Australian Masters, Huntingdale, Melbourne.

Sweden (1990 – 1992)

SGT Rookie of the Year award 1991.

Japan (1991 – 1993)

The next challenge Gabriel set was to qualify into the lucrative Japan Golf Tour.

After a gruelling qualifying tournament Gabriel was successful in gaining tour membership in 1991 and
recorded 3 top-25 finishes in 1992. (Inpereal, Pepsi Ube Kosan, Acom).
Although showing signs of a promising career in Japan Gabriel had plans of competing against
the world’s top-ranked players and therefore moved to Europe in 1993.

Europe (1993 – 1996)

Gabriel played in his first season on the European Tour in 1993 and finished 2nd in the Lyon Open.
This finish and as well as a good result in the European Tour qualifying tournament enabled Gabriel
to establish himself as a full time player on the tour in 1994.
Gabriel began the 1994 season with a good result, tying for 5th position in the Madeira Island Open.
This early form continued throughout the entire season with Gabriel finishing in 2nd place in
the Lyon Open and the Peugeot French Open, National GC in Paris, France.

These results, as well as another top-5 finish in the Honda Open, Gut Kaden in Hamburg,Germany
and 4 other top-25 finishes during the year, enabled Gabriel to finish 38th on the European Tour.

USA (1996 – present)

In October 1996 Gabriel was one of approximately 4,000 other professional golfers
who entered into the PGA TOUR qualifying tournament. The PGA TOUR qualifying
tournament is played over three stages due to the large number of entrants and the results
at the final stage determine who will gain playing rights on the PGA TOUR the following year.

Gabriel comfortably made it through the first two stages and in the fifth round of the final
stage shot a 6-under par 66 to move up the leaderboard and finish the tournament in 9th position.

This result earned Gabriel playing rights for the 1997 PGA TOUR and meant that he had
continued to progress his promising career

Gabriel made Swedish history

On the USPGA TOUR in 1997 Gabriel broke through for his first tournament victory
as golf professional late in the year in the B.C. Open played in Endicott, New York.
This victory marked the first time a Swedish golfer had won on the US PGA TOUR.

In February 1999, Gabriel recorded his second victory on the PGA TOUR in
the Touchstone Energy Tucson Open played in Tucson, Arizona.
The victory came after Gabriel birdied the first play-off hole to beat Tommy Armour III.

Gabriel recorded his best season on the PGA TOUR in 1999 with two additional
top-10 finishes Doral Classic and Buick Classic. T-16th in the 1999 US PGA Championship
and T-34 US Open. This success earned Gabriel a top 41st on the money list.
2001, T-30 US Open and In 2006, Gabriel recorded two top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR.