Mathias Grönberg
Encyclopedia
Mathias David Grönberg is a Swedish
professional golfer
who has played on the European Tour, PGA Tour
, and their second-tier tours.
, Sweden. He won the Swedish Boys Championship in 1988 and the British Youths Championship in 1990. That year he helped Sweden to win the Eisenhower Trophy
, and picked up the individual title at that event.
Grönberg turned professional late in 1990. After starting out on the second tier Challenge Tour
, he was a member of the European Tour from 1994 to 2003, winning four European Tour events in that time. His best finish on the European Tour Order of Merit was tenth in 1998. However, he was keen to join the PGA Tour
in America, repeatedly entering its Qualifying Tournament
. After six failed attempts he topped the event in 2003. He had difficulty settling on the PGA Tour, and after his 2005 second season he had to return to the Qualifying Tournament to retain his card, which he did. His best finish in a tour event so far is a tie for 3rd place at the 2007 Valero Texas Open
, where he ultimately trailed winner Justin Leonard
by three shots.
Grönberg won his first event on the Nationwide Tour
in 2009 at the Melwood Prince George's County Open
where he lapped the field and won by six strokes over Esteban Toledo
and Justin Bolli
. He finished 24th on the money list to earn his 2010 PGA Tour card.
.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Professional
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who has played on the European Tour, PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
, and their second-tier tours.
Career
Grönberg was born in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden. He won the Swedish Boys Championship in 1988 and the British Youths Championship in 1990. That year he helped Sweden to win the Eisenhower Trophy
Eisenhower Trophy
The Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
, and picked up the individual title at that event.
Grönberg turned professional late in 1990. After starting out on the second tier Challenge Tour
Challenge Tour
The Challenge Tour is the second tier men's professional golf tour in Europe. It is operated by the PGA European Tour and as with on the main European Tour and the European Seniors Tour, some of the events are played outside of Europe...
, he was a member of the European Tour from 1994 to 2003, winning four European Tour events in that time. His best finish on the European Tour Order of Merit was tenth in 1998. However, he was keen to join the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
in America, repeatedly entering its Qualifying Tournament
Qualifying school
In professional golf the term qualifying school is used for the annual qualifying tournaments for leading golf tours such as the U.S. based PGA and LPGA Tours and the European Tour. A fixed number of players in the event win membership of the tour for the following season, otherwise known as a...
. After six failed attempts he topped the event in 2003. He had difficulty settling on the PGA Tour, and after his 2005 second season he had to return to the Qualifying Tournament to retain his card, which he did. His best finish in a tour event so far is a tie for 3rd place at the 2007 Valero Texas Open
Valero Texas Open
The Valero Texas Open is an official tournament on the PGA Tour. It dates back to 1922 when it was first called the Texas Open; San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corporation took over naming rights in 2002. It is played at The Oaks Course at the TPC San Antonio. In 2003, it was the site of the...
, where he ultimately trailed winner Justin Leonard
Justin Leonard
Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American...
by three shots.
Grönberg won his first event on the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
in 2009 at the Melwood Prince George's County Open
Melwood Prince George's County Open
The Melwood Prince George's County Open is a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. In 2010, it was played on the University of Maryland Golf Course in College Park, Maryland...
where he lapped the field and won by six strokes over Esteban Toledo
Esteban Toledo
Esteban Toledo is a Mexican professional golfer, who was a member of the PGA Tour in 1994 and 1998-2004 and has also spent many years playing on the second tier Nationwide Tour....
and Justin Bolli
Justin Bolli
Justin Bolli is an American professional golfer.Bolli was born in Portland, Oregon. He is currently a member of the Nationwide Tour. He started playing on the Nationwide Tour full-time in 2004 and moved up to the PGA Tour in 2005...
. He finished 24th on the money list to earn his 2010 PGA Tour card.
Personal life
Grönberg's wife, Tara, is American. They have a son Van, born in 2002, and a daughter Ava, born in 2005. They reside in West Palm Beach, FloridaWest Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
.
Mathias Grönberg Trophy 2008
In August 2008 the first Mathias Grönberg Trophy event took place in Sweden. Grönberg's goal is to make golf more popular with young children. He hopes to make this a yearly event.Amateur wins (3)
- 1988 Swedish Boys Championship
- 1990 British Youths Open Amateur Championship
- 1991 Swedish Open
European Tour wins (4)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 Sep 1995 | Canon European Masters | 2 strokes |  Barry LaneBarry Lane Barry Lane is an English professional golfer.Lane was born in Hayes, Middlesex. He turned professional in 1976 and first played on the European Tour in 1982. For the first few seasons he failed to finish high enough on the Order of Merit to retain his card and he made several visits to the... ,  Costantino RoccaCostantino Rocca Costantino Rocca is the most successful male golfer that Italy has produced. After a long career on the European Tour he is now playing on the European Seniors Tour. He has five European Tour wins and is best known for his second place finish in the 1995 Open Championship.-Career outline:Rocca... |
|
| 2 | 23 Aug 1998 | Smurfit European Open | 10 strokes |  Miguel Ángel JiménezMiguel Angel Jiménez Miguel Ángel Jiménez Rodríguez is a Spanish professional golfer. He has won 18 times on the European Tour.-Early years:... ,  Phillip PricePhillip Price John Phillip Price is a Welsh professional golfer who plays on the European Tour.-Professional golfer:Price turned professional in 1989 and qualified for membership of the European Tour for the 1991 season via the 1990 Qualifying School. His best year on the tour came in 2000, when he finished... |
|
| 3 | 23 Jan 2000 | Mercedes-Benz South African Open | 1 stroke |  Darren FichardtDarren Fichardt Darren Clive Fichardt is a South African professional golfer.Fichardt was born in Pretoria and grew up in Centurion, Gauteng. He attended Sutherland High School from 1988 to 1993, where his talent for golf was nurtured... ,  Ricardo González, Nick PriceNick Price Nicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:... |
|
| 4 | 4 May 2003 | Italian Open Italian Open (golf) The BMW Italian Open, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is the Italian national open golf championship for men. It was founded in 1925 and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since the tour's first season in 1972.... |
2 Strokes | Ricardo González, José Manuel Lara José Manuel Lara José Manuel Lara is a Spanish professional golfer.Lara was born in Valencia, Spain. He turned professional in 1997, and has competed on the European Tour since 2001, having finished 11th in the previous seasons Challenge Tour rankings... ,  Colin MontgomerieColin Montgomerie Colin Stuart Montgomerie, OBE is a Scottish professional golfer, often referred to by one of his nicknames 'Monty'. He has had one of the finest careers in European Tour history, having won a record eight Order of Merit titles, including a streak of seven consecutively from 1993 to 1999, and 31... |
Sunshine Tour wins (1)
- 2000 Mercedes-Benz South African Open (co-sanctioned with the European Tour)
Nationwide Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 Jun 2009 2009 Nationwide Tour The 2009 Nationwide Tour was the 20th Nationwide Tour season. It ran from February 5 to October 25. The season consisted of 29 official money golf tournaments; six of which were played outside of the United States. The top 25 players on the year-end money list earned their PGA Tour card for 2010.-... |
Melwood Prince George's County Open Melwood Prince George's County Open The Melwood Prince George's County Open is a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. In 2010, it was played on the University of Maryland Golf Course in College Park, Maryland... |
6 strokes |  Esteban ToledoEsteban Toledo Esteban Toledo is a Mexican professional golfer, who was a member of the PGA Tour in 1994 and 1998-2004 and has also spent many years playing on the second tier Nationwide Tour.... ,  Justin BolliJustin Bolli Justin Bolli is an American professional golfer.Bolli was born in Portland, Oregon. He is currently a member of the Nationwide Tour. He started playing on the Nationwide Tour full-time in 2004 and moved up to the PGA Tour in 2005... |
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | T74 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | CUT | CUT | T18 | T47 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
CUT | CUT | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 2010 |
|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
CUT |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Team appearances
Amateur- Eisenhower TrophyEisenhower TrophyThe Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
(representing Sweden): 1990 (winning team and individual winner)
Professional
- Alfred Dunhill CupAlfred Dunhill CupThe Alfred Dunhill Cup was a team golf tournament which ran from 1985 to 2000. It was for three man teams of professional golfers, one team representing each country, and was promoted as the "World Team Championship". It was a "special approved event" on the European Tour, which means that it was...
(representing Sweden): 1998, 2000 - World Cup (representing Sweden): 1998, 2000
- Seve TrophySeve TrophyThe Seve Trophy is a biennial golf tournament between teams of professional male golfers representing Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe. It is named after five times major winner Seve Ballesteros, the most successful golfer ever from Continental Europe who was one of the key...
(representing Continental Europe): 2002
See also
- 2003 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates2003 PGA Tour Qualifying School GraduatesThis is a list of the 34 players who earned their 2004 PGA Tour card through Q School in 2003.*Players in yellow are 2004 PGA Tour rookies.-2004 Results:T = Tied...
- 2005 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates2005 PGA Tour Qualifying School GraduatesThis is a list of the 32 players who earned their 2006 PGA Tour card through Q School in 2005.*Players in yellow are 2006 PGA Tour rookies.-2006 Results:T = Tied...
- 2008 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates2008 PGA Tour Qualifying School GraduatesThis is a list of the 28 players who earned their 2009 PGA Tour card through Q School in 2008.*Players in yellow are 2009 PGA Tour rookies.-2009 Results:T = Tied...
- 2009 Nationwide Tour graduates2009 Nationwide Tour GraduatesThis is a list of players who graduated from the Nationwide Tour in 2009. The top 25 players on the Nationwide Tour's money list in 2009 earned their PGA Tour card for 2010.*PGA Tour Rookie in 2010...