NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 18 – Sebastian Soderberg, the 2016 Kenya Open champion, is back in the country this week, eyeing the “elusive” DP World Tour victory at the Absa Bank Kenya-backed tournament.
The Swedish golfer, a regular at the Kenya Open since winning the event a decade ago, has yet to reclaim the coveted title since the event’s elevation from the European Challenge Tour to the DP World Tour in 2019.
A seasoned campaigner with a dozen top-10 finishes on the European Tour, Soderberg has always cherished his association with the Magical Kenya Open, which makes him return to the fabled tournament time and time again.
His 2016 victory on Kenyan soil marked a highlight of his career, and he has since returned to the event, drawn by the event’s rich history and indeed warm Kenyan hospitality.
His longstanding association with the MKO has always made him a crowd favourite to see him back in action.
The Magical Kenya Open tees off on Thursday at Karen Country Club, with Soderberg and a host of top golfers vying for the top spot.
Söderberg was born in Eksjö in Småland, Sweden, but grew up playing golf at Delsjö Golf Club in Gothenburg on the west coast of the country.
He won four junior tournaments in the Gothenburg area. He was part of the Swedish team winning the 2008 European Boys’ Team Championship at Bled Golf Club, Slovenia.
–Professional Career—
Söderberg turned professional in August 2013 and won twice on the Nordic Golf League the following month.
In 2014, he played all three stages of the European Tour qualifying school, finishing 39th. This earned him membership in the Challenge Tour for 2015.
He then played on the European Tour and Challenge Tour in 2015. In 2016, he won the inaugural event of the 2016 Challenge Tour season, the Barclays Kenya Open.
In June 2016, through sectional qualifying in England, he qualified for his first major championship entry, the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, where he missed the cut by two strokes.
Söderberg again came close to adding a second European Tour title at the 2022 British Masters at The Belfry.
He entered the final round six strokes off the lead but emerged from the chasing pack to set the clubhouse target at nine under.
However, Thorbjørn Olesen of Denmark produced an eagle-birdie finish to deny him a second title and ultimately finished solo second.
