Alexander Björk says “it’s great to be back” on home soil as he makes his return to the DP World Tour for the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed after a “tough” adjustment to life on the PGA TOUR.
As part of the Strategic Alliance between the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR, the Swede was one of ten players to earn status on both tours for 2024.
Björk enjoyed a career-high eight top-tens - including one in last year's edition of this event - on the 2023 Race to Dubai to earn dual membership, giving the best on the DP World Tour access to the PGA TOUR while still maintaining flexibility to return to familiar surroundings in Europe and beyond.
This week sees the World Number 107 do just that as he tees it up at Vasatorps Golfklub for his first DP World Tour start of the campaign outside of the major championships.
“I really like playing in Sweden,” he said. “I’ve not been home a lot this year, so it’s great to be back.”
Björk, who celebrates his 34th birthday on Friday, has spent the last seven seasons on the DP World Tour with his lone victory coming at the Volvo China Open in 2018.
Prior to beginning his rookie season on the PGA TOUR at the start of this year, he had made just three starts stateside but has since made 12 further appearances with his best result coming when he finished in a tie for 11th at The American Express in January.
Robert MacIntyre, who won his first PGA TOUR title last weekend in Canada, revealed last month he had found life away home in the United States lonely, a challenge Björk is experiencing too.
“For me it has been tough (playing on the PGA TOUR),” he said.
“You go to a lot of new courses, I’ve never played any of them. They are a bit longer. New lifestyle, longer away from home, so it has been quite tough for me.
“It’s more lonely over there, you tend to stay with your team, over here it’s more friendly, more camaraderie.”
So, just as a return back home proved a fillip for MacIntyre, fellow European Björk hopes the same will be the case for him as he forms part of a strong Swedish group targeting a home victory as 78 men and 78 women compete for the same trophy and prize fund in Helsingborg.
“It’s a little different, but it’s actually exactly the same, we just play with the women,” said Björk, who finished inside the top 40 at last month’s US PGA Championship.
“The golf is exactly the same, so you don’t think about it that much when you play, you just try and play your game.
“(My game) was pretty good at the US PGA Championship. Tee to green was really good, not great on the green but I had a decent result and a little bit of a rest after that.
“We’ll see where I am this week, but hopefully it’s good.”
'I haven’t won yet, which is a little frustrating... hopefully I’ll get more chances'
While Björk may be looking to rediscover his best form, his countryman Sebastian Söderberg returns to his homeland hoping to turn an already consistent campaign into one with silverware.
Söderberg, who is nine spots higher in the Official World Golf Ranking than Björk, finished runner-up twice back-to-back as he finished in the top five in three consecutive events to top the Asian Swing Rankings and earn a spot at the US PGA Championship, where he made a hole-in-one at Valhalla.
Now, refreshed after a two-week break, he looks to capitalise on his fine run of results which has seen him climb to fifth on the Race to Dubai Rankings by adding a second DP World Tour title to his name alongside his Omega European Masters triumph in 2019.
"(This season has) been really solid, a lot of good golf," he said. "I haven’t won yet, which is a little frustrating. I feel like I’ve put myself in position a few times.
"I’ll keep working, keep sharpening the game and hopefully I’ll get more chances.
"Every week you find something you’re trying to get better at on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. You always feel the same teeing up, there’s always a few question marks in the game.
"But I’ve been playing well and hopefully I can keep building on that."
With good crowds expected, Söderberg is excited to take on some of the expectations on the home players' shoulders at a venue he played at 15 years ago while still an amateur.
"It’s always so much fun playing at home," he said. "I’m looking forward to the week. You get a chance to have a lot more friends and family here to watch. It’s going to be an exciting week. If you play well, then the crowds come out."
