Jesper Svensson (golfer)

Bo Jesper Svensson (born 14 March 1996) is a Swedish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. In 2023, he won the B-NL Challenge Trophy on the Challenge Tour. In 2024, he won the Porsche Singapore Classic.

Early life and amateur career
Svensson was born in Uppsala, Sweden. As a junior golfer, he won both the Swedish Junior Matchplay Championship at Vasatorp Golf Club, and the Swedish Junior Strokeplay Championship at Sollentuna Golf Club.

He represented Sweden at the European Amateur Team Championship in 2017 and 2018, and played in the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in Scotland, where he finished 13th overall. He placed third at the 2015 Campenato de Castellón in Spain.

Svensson played college golf at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina, between 2015 and 2019. He majored in Business Administration and was Big South Conference Golfer of the Year in 2017 and 2019. He won four tournaments, including the Big South Championship twice, the first of which he won with a 14-under-par 202 (67-66-69), breaking a 10-year old record of 204 set by Dustin Johnson of Coastal Carolina.

Professional career
Svensson turned professional in the summer of 2019 and joined the Nordic Golf League, where he won the 2020 Race to Himmerland, the season finale in Denmark. In 2021, he was runner-up in the season opener, the Lindbytvätten Grand Opening, and again runner-up at the Stockholm Trophy in June, one stroke behind Jesper Kennegård.

In August 2021, he was runner-up at the Finnish Challenge on the Challenge Tour, two strokes behind winner Marcus Helligkilde of Denmark. The following week, he took a one-stroke lead into day three of the Made in Esbjerg Challenge, another Challenge Tour event, where he ultimately finished T10. The results propelled him into the top 45 of Challenge Tour Rankings, earning exemption in category 3c for the fall tournaments on the tour.

Svensson was again in contention at the Empordà Challenge in Spain. After a run of seven birdies in the final round he was co-leader with Julien Brun at the 16th hole, but a bogey-bogey finish sent him down the leaderboard to a tie for 3rd. The result lifted him to 33rd place in the Challenge Tour Rankings, approaching a spot in the top 20 that secures a European Tour card for 2022, with two tournaments left of the season.

Svensson finished the 2021 Challenge Tour season ranked 36th on the rankings, enabling him a few starts on the 2022 European Tour where his best finish was a T19 in the Hero Open at Fairmont St Andrews.

In 2023, Svensson claimed his maiden Challenge Tour win at the 2023 B-NL Challenge Trophy in the Netherlands, after taking the outright lead with a birdie on the 17th before parring the final hole. He was also runner-up at the Andalucía Challenge de Cádiz and the Swiss Challenge, to finish the season 5th in the rankings and graduate to the European Tour. In his second start as full member of the European Tour, he led the Investec South African Open Championship at the halfway stage, ultimately finishing runner-up.

In February 2024, Svensson again finished second in a European Tour event, this time joined runner-up in the Bahrain Championship, two strokes behind winner Dylan Frittelli, after holding the lead with eight holes to go.

In March 2024, Svensson claimed his first European Tour win at the Porsche Singapore Classic. After tying the course record 63 in the last round, he won in a sudden-death playoff over Kiradech Aphibarnrat playing the par-5 18th hole three times.

Svensson played in his first major championship in May 2024, the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, through invitation.

In July 2024, Svensson qualified for his second major championship, the Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club, Scotland, through his position at the 2024 Race to Dubai Rankings.

Amateur wins
Sources:
 * 2014 Swedish Junior Matchplay Championship, Skandia Tour Riks #4, Titleist FootJoy Junior Open
 * 2015 Skandia Tour Elit #2
 * 2016 Swedish Junior Strokeplay Championship
 * 2017 Big South Championship
 * 2018 Golfweek Program Challenge, Old Dominion OBX Collegiate
 * 2019 Big South Championship

European Tour wins (1)
European Tour playoff record (1–0)

Challenge Tour wins (1)
Challenge Tour playoff record (0–2)

Nordic Golf League wins (1)
Source:

Results in major championships
CUT = missed the half-way cut

Team appearances
Amateur
 * European Amateur Team Championship (representing Sweden): 2017, 2018