Okay, golf community, listen up! Björn Hellgren, one of the newest guys in the LIV Golf League, is once again competing in the International Series. More specifically, at the Singapore Open, presented by The Business Times, where he is conquering global stages and increasingly getting accustomed to the spotlight, including the pressure of playing in front of over 100,000 fans at LIV Golf. Hellgren, who competes as a Wild Card in LIV Golf, returned to the same course at Sentosa Golf Club just over a month after his Aramco LIV Golf Singapore debut and once again demonstrated growing confidence on the world stage. At 4-under through 36 holes, he comfortably made the cut and is in a strong T10 position. After the second round in Singapore, he admitted that his ball-striking was excellent, but there's still room for improvement in scoring. "I'm playing good golf, but the scores aren't quite reflecting it yet," he said. "If I can get the putter hot, there's a lot more out there!"
Having already played the course last month during LIV Golf Singapore, Hellgren noted subtle but important differences in the setup this week. "The rough is tougher here, but the greens are slower," he explained. "When we played LIV, they were really fast, and it was windy too. But it's still a tough course. If it gets as firm as it was for LIV, even par is a good score. Now, perhaps two or three under is a good round."
Adjusting to the Spotlight
Hellgren's rise to the LIV Golf League was rapid. He earned his card earlier this year with a top-3 finish at the LIV Golf Promotions in Florida, alongside Richard T. Lee and Anthony Kim, shortly after triumphing last season with his breakthrough victory at the Saudi Open, presented by PIF, on the Asian Tour. He also achieved strong results in Thailand on the International Series, including top-10 finishes at the International Series Thailand and the Black Mountain Championship in 2024. The latter tournament, held in Hua Hin, is where he often stays when playing in the region.
Since joining LIV Golf, Hellgren admits that the scale of the experience has been the biggest adjustment. "It's incredible," he raves. "Every week is pretty cool. The level is incredibly high; everyone is playing at a different level. It's competitive, but I think I'm adjusting well and just need to keep improving." One of the biggest learning curves has been adapting to the large, loud crowds that have quickly become a hallmark of LIV Golf events. "Adelaide, for sure," he said when asked what stands out this season. "That was really cool. Over 100,000 people, all loud, wanting to grab attention; the atmosphere was insane." "At first, it was new to me," he added. "South Africa was similar, very loud. But you get used to it. Now I don't really mind.
