Overview
Mats Hallberg (born 12 December 1964) is a Swedish professional golfer and broadcaster who played on the European Tour between 1988 and 1999. He finished 3rd in the 1996 Scottish Open at Carnoustie, was in contention at the 1998 Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth, and made the cut in the 1995 Open Championship at St Andrews.
Early life and amateur career
Hallberg was born in Nyköping and was introduced to golf by his uncle at 14. His parents owned a farm and knowing how to operate a tractor, he started working at Ärila Golf Club after school. With free access to range balls, he developed his game quickly. He reached a scratch handicap by 1982. Hallberg served alongside Magnus Sunesson at the Kronoberg Regiment "golf platoon" in the winter of 1984/85.
Professional career
Hallberg turned professional at 19 in 1984 and joined on the Swedish Golf Tour, where he was runner-up at the Swedish PGA Championship in his rookie season, and again in 1985, both times behind Per-Arne Brostedt. He played three seasons on the Challenge Tour, winning three tournaments across 1990 and 1991. In 1990 and 1994 he topped the Swedish Golf Tour Order of Merit. On the 1994 Challenge Tour he was runner up the Rolex Pro-Am, Ramlösa Open, Jämtland Open, and lost a playoff at Himmerland Open to finish 7th in the rankings and graduate to the European Tour. Hallberg played in four majors, where his biggest success came in the 1995 Open Championship at the Old Course at St Andrews. He shot a first round of 68 (−4), one stroke off the lead. John Daly eventually won at −6 after a playoff, and Hallberg finished tied for 68th along with Tiger Woods.
The finish helped Hallberg reach a peak of 174th on the Official World Golf Ranking in 1998.
Broadcast career
Hallberg made his TV debut in 1993 covering the British Open and Ryder Cup. After cutting back on his playing schedule in the early 2000s, he transitioned to broadcasting. In joined Viasat Golf in 2002, and in 2016 moved to C More Entertainment to cover the PGA Tour along with Wilhelm Schauman. In 2021 he joined Discovery+ after they acquired the rights to air the PGA Tour.
Challenge Tour wins (3)
Challenge Tour playoff record (0–1)
Other wins (1)
*2009 Eskilstuna Open
Results in major championships
CUT = missed the halfway cut "T" = Tied Note: Hallberg only played in The Open Championship.