Krister Kinell

{{Infobox golfer

| name = Krister Kinell

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| fullname =

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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1953|9|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = Linköping, Sweden

| death_date = {{nowrap|{{Death date and age|2019|2|13|1953|9|24|df=y}}}}

| death_place =

| height = {{height|m=1.75|precision=0}}

| weight =

| nationality = {{SWE}}

| residence = Linköping, Sweden

| spouse =

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| college = United States International University – San Diego

| yearpro = 1982

| tour =

| extour = European Tour

| prowins = 1

| otherwins =

| majorwins =

| masters = DNP

| usopen = DNP

| open = CUT: 1985

| pga = DNP

| wghofid =

| wghofyear =

| award1 = Swedish Golfer of the Year

| year1 = 1981

| award2 =

| year2 =

| awardssection =

}}

Krister Kinell (24 September 1953 – 13 February 2019) was a Swedish professional golfer and one of the first Swedish golfers to play on the European Tour. He was awarded the 1981 Swedish Golfer of the Year.

Amateur career

Kinell reached the final in the 1973 Swedish Junior Match-play Championship, losing on the fourth extra hole in the 36-hole match, on his home course Linköping Golf Club, against his club mate, long time friend and competitor, Bob Bäckstedt. Kinell reached the final again in 1975, losing 4 and 2 against Peter Lindwall, coincidentally also representing Linköping GC.{{cite book|last=Jansson|first=Anders|url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/94rt7fj3/popup/1?|title=Golf - Den Gröna Sporten|year=1979|isbn=9172603283|pages=158, 173, 176, 178, 200 202|language=Swedish|trans-title=Golf - The green Sport}}

At college in America, Kinell, together with fellow Swede Jan Rube, in 1975-76 played for the United States International University in San Diego, California, becoming the first Swedes to play golf at a University in the United States.{{cite web|title=Svensk Golf 5/1975|url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/mhf2vjp6/paper/37|accessdate=11 September 2020|publisher=Svensk Golf|page=37|language=sv}}{{cite magazine |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=3 |date=May 1976 |title=Upp och ner för våra USA-golfare |trans-title=Up and down for our U.S.-golfers |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/nx2vh65r/paper/39#/paper/nx2vh65r/39 |language=Swedish |page=39}}

Kinell and his brother Claes finished second at the 1976 Swedish Foursome Championship, over 72 holes stroke-play at Viksjö Golf Club, losing with one stroke, when the winning couple chipped in for an eagle on the very last hole.

Reaching the final but not winning, was his destiny in the Swedish Match-play Championship too, losing 2 and 1 to Mikael Sorling at Borås Golf Club in 1978.

Kinell made an international breakthrough when he won individually at the 1978 Fiat Trophy in Turin, Italy on his 25th birthday, over 54 holes against competitors from 17 European countries.

He was part of the Swedish teams, earning silver medals at the 1973, 1974 and 1975 European Youths' Team Championship, and again at the 1977 European Amateur Team Championship.{{cite book |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/1pfc350j/popup/1? |title=Golf - Den stora sporten |language=Swedish |trans-title=Golf - The great sport |first=Anders |last=Jansson |publisher=Swedish Golf Federation |year=2004 |isbn=91-86818007 |pages=180, 182, 188, 196, 197}} He represented the Continent of Europe, winning the 1982 St Andrews Trophy against Great Britain and Ireland 14–11.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5_Q9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=_EgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2604%2C5747936 |title=Continentals hang on for win overall |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=16 |date=28 June 1982}}

In 1980, Kinell earned Elite Sign No. 65 by the Swedish Golf Federation, on the basis of national team appearances and national championship performances.{{cite book |last=Jansson |first=Anders |url=https://www.e-magin.se/paper/1pfc350j/paper/217#/paper/1pfc350j/98 |title=Golf - Den stora sporten, Elitmärket |date=2004 |publisher=Swedish Golf Federation |isbn=91-86818007 |page=97 |language=Swedish |trans-title=Golf - The great sport, Elite Sign}}

While still an amateur, Kinell reached a high finish at the 1982 Scandinavian Enterprise Open on the European Tour, at his home course.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/q32phx74/popup/1? |title=SEO'82 |language=Swedish |magazine=Svensk Golf |number=6 |date=August 1982 |pages=6–18}} After the first round Kinell was tied 4th alongside Seve Ballesteros, two strokes off the lead. Kinell finished the tournament tied 8th. He was best Swedish player and best amateur, just as the year before, when he was tied 23rd.{{cite web |title=1982 Scandinavian Enterprise Open |url=https://golfdata.se/tournytt/resultatlista.asp?TID=F227XXX |publisher=Golfdata |accessdate=11 September 2020}} His tied 8th finish in 1982, was at the time the best ever by a Swedish player on the European Tour.

He was a member of the Swedish team, along with Ove Sellberg, Per Andersson and Magnus Persson, finishing tied second at the 1982 Eisenhower Trophy in Lausanne, Switzerland, in September. Persson made a four feet birdie putt on his 72nd hole to give Sweden a silver medal, shared with Japan, seven strokes behind United States, with Kinell finishing tied third and top European in the individual competition.{{cite magazine |first=Jörgen |last=Ohlson |date=September 1982|title=Bragden i Lausanne |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/h1500f3s/popup/1?|magazine=Svensk Golf|language=Swedish|pages=36–39, 44|number=7}}

Kinell was ranked the 1982 best Swedish amateur player by Svensk Golf, the official magazine of the Swedish Golf Federation.{{cite magazine |first=Jörgen |last=Ohlson |date=December 1982|title=Årets tio bästa: VM-hjältar i topp på sista(?) listan |trans-title=Top ten of the year: World Championship heroes on top of the last(?) ranking |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/rtrkfcsp/popup/1?|magazine=Svensk Golf|language=Swedish|pages=36–39|number=9}}

Professional career

Kinell turned professional at the end of the 1982 season, at the age of 29. A sponsor agreement with Saab AB made it possible for Kinell and two of his teammates from the 1982 Eisenhower Trophy, Ove Sellberg and Magnus Persson, to compete professionally, forming Team Saab, granted financial and management support. This marked the beginning of a break-through for Sweden in professional golf. Less than four years later, Sellberg secured the first European Tour victory by a Swedish born player at the 1986 Epson Grand Prix of Europe Matchplay Championship.

Kinell's best year in the paid ranks came in 1984, when he reached his best European Tour finish, tied 4th at the 1984 Tournament Players Championship at St Mellion International Resort, Cornwall, England. Kinell shot 63 in the third round, the joint low round of the tournament, equaled by Bernhard Langer in the fourth round.{{cite web |title=Results 1984 St. Mellion Timeshare TPC |url=https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/st-mellion-timeshare-tpc-1984/results?round=4 |publisher=European Tour |accessdate=11 September 2020}} Kinell's 4th place was again the best ever by a Swedish player on the European Tour. He finished the year ranked 96th on the European Tour Order of Merit.

The same year, Kinell was playing captain for the Swedish team with Anders Forsbrand, Magnus Persson and Ove Sellberg at the Hennessy Cognac Cup.{{cite web |title=Krister Kinell Player Profile |url=https://www.europeantour.com/players/krister-kinell-98/ |publisher=European Tour |accessdate=11 September 2020}}

After his playing career, Kinell worked as a club pro at Landeryd Golf Club, situated outside Linköping, and won the Swedish PGA Club Pro Championship at Båstad Golf Club in 1991. The victory was shared with Gunnar Mueller, since darkness made it impossible to play further playoff holes after three shared extra holes.

Personal life, death

Kinell graduated from the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences in Stockholm, but lived most of his life in his home town of Linköping, where he worked as a teacher before his professional golf career. After retiring from golf instructing in later life, he worked as an insurance agent.

He was married to Cajsa and they had two children.

He died from cancer on 13 February 2019.{{cite web |url=https://corren.se/nyheter/linkoping/steffos-starka-ord-om-golfprofilen-om5831241.aspx |title=Steffo Törnquists minnesord om nyligen bortgångne Krister Kinell |publisher=Östgötacorrespondenten |accessdate=11 September 2020 |language=sv}}

Amateur wins

1971 Lunds Vårtest
1975 Lunds Vårtest, Edgars Cup (Karlstad GC, Sweden)
1976 Flygt Trophy (Kalmar GC, Sweden) (with Hillevi Hagström)
1977 Lunds Vårtest
1978 Fiat Trophy (Turin, Italy), Martini Cup (Rya GC, Sweden)

Source:{{cite magazine |first=Bengt |last=Lorichs |date=October 1978|title=Internationella genombrott för Kinell och Werneskog |trans-title=International breakthroughs for Kinell and Werneskog |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/3t9f93rg/popup/1?|magazine=Svensk Golf|language=Swedish|pages=34–35, 61|number=8}}{{cite magazine |date=August 1975|title=Edgars Cup, Kinell tog hem vandringspriset |trans-title=Edgars Cup, Kinell won the Trophy for ever |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/80rpjn7z/popup/11? |magazine=Svensk Golf|language=Swedish|pages=32, 52|number=6}}

Professional wins (1)

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.

!Date

!Tournament

!Winning score

!To par

!Margin of victory

!Runner-up

align=center|1

|20 Sep 1991

|Swedish PGA Club Pro Championship¹

|align=center| 222

|align=center| +4

| colspan="2" |Shared with {{flagicon|SWE}} Gunnar Mueller

¹Due to weather, ended in tie after three-hole playoff

Sources:{{cite web |title=Club Pro Mästerskapen |url=https://www.pgasweden.com/tavlingskalender/vw-pga-open-club-pro-masterskapen/pga-club-pro-masterskapen-tidigare-vinnare/ |publisher=PGA Sweden |accessdate=11 September 2020}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.e-magin.se/paper/vztg9nrj/popup/1? |title=Tävling, Instruktörsmästerskapen |trans-title=Competitions, Club Pro Championship |magazine=Svensk Golf|number=12 |date=December 1991 |pages=63, 67 |language=Swedish}}