LIV GOLF PROMOTIONS

January 11, 2026

Bjørn Hellgren

Black Diamond Ranch

Press Conference

Q. Bjørn, congratulations on getting one of the top three spots. You'll be in Riyadh in a few weeks. You shot the lowest round of the day. Can you take us through the round, your emotions and the upcoming season that you've got?

BJØRN HELLGREN: Well, it's a lot to take in, first off. Thank you. Starting the day, we knew what we had to do. We had to shoot a low one today. We had to basically go all in, and the weather was cold and it was raining from time to time and it was like, you've just got to grind it out.

I got off to a hot start, made two birdies in the beginning, and then things got a little slow. I was making bogeys and made a birdie and then another bogey, and I was like -- but then we looked at the leaderboard and I saw other guys also struggling a little bit. Then I figured I'd have a chance.

Things were going my way in the end, in the last three holes, so I was very fortunate to make those two long putts. Yeah, to be able to stand here now, it's crazy.

Q. How much have you followed LIV Golf the first four seasons? Obviously I assume you've watched some of it from afar?

BJØRN HELLGREN: Quite a lot. I'm good friends with Brooks. Brooks and Henrik are people I really look up to. Unfortunately I won't join them this year, but I followed it quite a lot, and I was quite close to playing the first one in Centurion.

It's always been a goal of mine for the last four years to get on here. Thanks to the Asian Tour, without them, I wouldn't be here. It kind of shows to all the guys, too, that are in my position back home that you might not be playing on the PGA TOUR, but we're traveling the world and grinding it out. A few good weeks and then you're in it. That's pretty amazing.

Q. How much momentum did you take from last month's win?

BJØRN HELLGREN: A lot. I think for me to win was huge because I didn't believe it myself for some time. I had people around me that were telling me I could win, but I'd never done it before on this level. Then I did it in Saudi, and then it was like -- Chase, my good friend, he was telling me, Bjørn, this is huge. You made that putt on 18 in Riyadh, and a lot of guys it takes maybe two or three chances before that putt goes in, and you made it on the first try.

I had a good Christmas, and then to come here and the game is still awesome and putting is good, I think it changed a lot for me confidence-wise. I just became a father, too, and I think that helped a lot, too. 2025 was a year to remember, and I'm sure this year will be, too.

Q. Was there a moment out there late in the round where it finally sunk in, or did you keep everything in check until the last putt that you were going to be on LIV?

BJØRN HELLGREN: I didn't think I had a chance until I made a putt on 17, honestly. I thought I needed to get it to 7-under. I looked at the leaderboard when we were on maybe 14 or something, 13, but then I made two birdies there at 13 and 14, and then we have a chance. I said to Gustav, we need three more, and apparently two was enough.

Q. You were crediting the Asian Tour earlier, and I think you've been playing on the International Series, too, on the Asian Tour from the first season, from 2022. Playing on those events, elevated events on the Asian Tour, does that help you in preparing for these high-pressure events coming into this week?

BJØRN HELLGREN: I think so. I remember the first time I played a big International Series event and I saw Brooks and I saw Bryson on the range and I was like, whoa, can I hit balls next to them? But now it's sunk in, they're all humans. They're all normal people, and they're nice guys, all of them. It's going to be real cool to play against them or with them this year.

But I've done it for the past couple of years, too. They're all good guys. It's no different playing on the Asian Tour. It's a bunch of good guys out there, too.

Q. Before this week knowing you're coming here, had you ever allowed yourself to think about, obviously the purses on LIV are very big, much bigger than what you're used to playing for. There's a great economic opportunity there. Do you let yourself think about that and what it means to get to play for that kind of money?

BJØRN HELLGREN: Well, I don't really think about the money in tournaments. I did that a couple of years ago when I was maybe playing the big one in Saudi, the Saudi International. But it's just a tournament, and obviously this is going to change our life, for my family. But it's still just a tournament, and I'm sure I'll be going to Riyadh to try to win because I like the feeling of winning.

Q. I know you went to FSU, but where do you make your home base?

BJØRN HELLGREN: I'm in Sweden, in Västerås. Then we have a place in Thailand, as well, at Black Mountain. We've got close to three feet of snow back home, so the plan was to go to Thailand this week with the family and get ready for Philippines, but I don't know where we're going now. (Laughter.)

Q. You were saying that you needed to be all in today to come from as far back as you did. Did you feel early on in the round like there was a 64 in you today?

BJØRN HELLGREN: Well, honestly, I said to Gus, because he doesn't know golf very much, my caddie, and I said, well, you can't shoot 18-under if you don't birdie them all. So I birdied the first two. He was like -- he probably thought I could shoot 18-under.

But no, we were going all in but still playing smart. It's tricky with the wind. But honestly, I didn't think it was going to be enough.

I thought you had to take it -- after yesterday I thought you had to take it to 10, and then I thought maybe 8, and when today was like today was, I thought maybe 7.

Q. I'm also curious what Henrik and Brooks might have told you about LIV as you were talking to them these last few years.

BJØRN HELLGREN: Yeah, they say play better and get on here. I was asking them, hey, can I please be a reserve or something for your team. They're like, you've got to win first, Bjørn, you've got to win. I've done that, but I've also qualified now, so super happy.