Hans Hedjerson

Hans Göran Hedjerson (born 3 November 1943) is a Swedish professional golfer, who was one of the best amateur players in Sweden in the 1960s and 1970s.

Early life Hedjerson was born in a family with a lot of sport background. His father was the 1937, and very first, Swedish alpine skiing and slalom champion, Harald Hedjerson (1913–1966), who also competed in the 1936 Winter Olympics in Nordic combined skiing. His grandfather was the 1910, and very first, Swedish Nordic skiing, 30 kilometer, champion, Adolf Hedjerson (1881–1961). Naturally, Hedjerson practiced many sports at young age, such as tennis, ice hockey and, like his father, alpine skiing and ski jumping.

He did not start playing golf until the age of 16, but reached a handicap of 4 during his first full year 1960, the next year represented his country and the Continent of Europe on youth up-to-18 level and within three years was part of winning the European Youths' Team Championship for Sweden. He started to play, inspired by his oldest sisters husband and elite golfer, Staffan Westman, at Saltsjöbaden Golf Club, situated outside Stockholm, Sweden, but later came to represent nearby Lidingö Golf Club and from 1967 and during the main part of his career, Wermdö Golf & Country Club. The same year, at one of his few visits for individual competition on the British isles, he finished 9th at the Golf Illustrated Gold Vase at Walton Heath Golf Club, six strokes behind winner Michael Bonallack. He qualified for the 1977 Swedish World Cup team, together with Jan Sonnevi, to play in Manila, Philippines, in December. Unfortunately, Hedjerson became ill during the World Cup tournament and could not perform at his best. The Swedish team finished tied 23rd among 50 nations.

Hedjerson represented Sweden one more time in the World Cup, in 1978 in Honolulu, Hawaii, were the team (with Hedjerson and Gunnar Mueller) finished tied 14th. At the time, this was by far the best Swedish team performance in the history of the World Cup.

Hedjerson lost in a playoff to Gunnar Mueller at the 1978 Swedish PGA Championship, in trying to defend his title, but won another title on the Swedish pro tour in 1978, the Flygt Open at Viksjö Golf Club, where he finished second the year before.

He made the cut at the Scandinavian Enterprise Open on the European Tour at two occasions as a professional, in 1979 and 1980, both times at Vasatorp Golf Club, outside Helsingborg, Sweden.

When the Swedish Golf Tour officially started in 1984, with more tournaments and more money to play for than before in Sweden, Hedjersons competitive career was over.

In 1982, Hedjerson made his 13th career hole-in-one, by holing his tee shot on the 280-meter par-4 10th hole at Djursholm Golf Club, Stockholm.

Awards, honors In 1967, seven years after start playing, Hedjerson earned Elite Sign No. 45 by the Swedish Golf Federation, on the basis of national team appearances and national championship performances.

Hedjerson was awarded Swedish Golfer of the Year, male and female, professional and amateur, three times as an amateur. Before he received the award for the third time in 1976, there was a rule stating that a player not could be awarded more than two times.

Amateur wins 1966 Martini Cup (Rya GC) 1967 Chrysantemumbålen (Stockholm GC) 1968 Torsten Hèrnod Memorial (Lidingö GC), Slottspokalen (Uppsala GC) 1969 Martini Cup (Rya GC) 1970 Swedish Match-play Championship, Swedish International Stroke Play Championship 1971 Swedish Match-play Championship, Torsten Hèrnod Memorial (Lidingö GC) 1973 Spanish International Amateur Championship, Scandinavian Foursome (with Gösta Ignell), Grundig Sattelit Cup (Flommen GC), Torsten Hèrnod Memorial (Lidingö GC), Falkenberg Open 1974 Scandinavian International Match-play Championship, Spanish International Amateur Championship, Torsten Hèrnod Memorial (Lidingö GC) 1975 Swedish International Stroke Play Championship, Chrysantemumbålen (Stockholm GC) 1976 German International Amateur Stroke-play Championship, Scandinavian Foursome (with Gösta Ignell) Source:

Team appearances Amateur Jacques Léglise Trophy (representing Continent of Europe): 1961 European Youths' Team Championship (representing Sweden): 1963 (winners), 1964 European Amateur Team Championship (representing Sweden): 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975 Eisenhower Trophy (representing Sweden): 1966, 1970, 1974, 1976 St Andrews Trophy (representing Continent of Europe): 1968, 1970, 1976

Professional World Cup (representing Sweden): 1977, 1978 Sources: