Joel Sjöholm


Joel Sjöholm is a Swedish professional golfer. He was born in Chile and was adopted by a Swedish family when three months old. In 2017 he won the Italian Challenge Open, his first win on the Challenge Tour.

Career

Sjöholm opted to play college golf in the United States, spending four years at Georgia State University, where he was one of the most successful golfers in their history. He won two individual intercollegiate titles, was named a third team all-American in 2007, and ended his college career in 2008 ranked fifth nationally. He finished second in the 2007 individual European Amateur Championship in Germany, losing in a three-hole playoff.
He turned professional in 2008, and joined the Challenge Tour in Europe, where he played for the following three seasons. He was runner up at the 2008 SWALEC Wales Challenge and the Allianz Golf Open de Lyon and Roma Golf Open in 2010.
In 2010, he had six top-five finishes on the Challenge Tour, the most of any player, and graduated to the European Tour in twelfth place, where he played for the next three seasons. His best performances were a fourth place in the 2012 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and a tie for third in the 2011 Sicilian Open, which saw him rise to 228th on the Official World Golf Ranking.
During the 2019 Challenge Tour season, he finished tied second at the Challenge de España and second at the Made in Denmark Challenge, finishing the season 23rd on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit Road To Mallorca.
On 1 December 2019 he finished lone 2nd at the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek Country Club, Malelane, South Africa, the event co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Sunshine Tour, beaten only by Pablo Larrazábal, who birdied three of the last four holes to win by a shot.

Amateur wins

Challenge Tour wins (1)

Challenge Tour playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
12008SWALEC Wales Challenge Michael McGeadyLost to par on second extra hole
22010Roma Golf Open Andreas HartøLost to birdie on first extra hole

Team appearances

Amateur