Former Georgia State All-American golfer Joel Sjoholm finished in a tie for eighth place in this week's European PGA Tour event. Sjoholm had a final round 68 in the ISPS Handa Wales Open at The Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales, the site of the 2010 Ryder Cup.

The 27-year old Panther earned a check for 50,243 pounds this week, roughly the equivalent of $77,240 in American dollars. That was his third European PGA payday of 50,000 pounds or more, six thousand pounds below his personal best last year in the Sicilian Open.

Sjoholm has had five top 10 European PGA finishes and eight top 25 finishes as he continues to work his way upward on the Race to Dubai standings and an eventual goal to try to earn his way on the PGA Tour.

"The Swedish Meatball" had been a All-America first-team pick at GSU in 2008 and a All-America third-team honoree in 2007.

In this week's event, Sjoholm carded rounds of 69-74-70-68 for his 281 total. That 281 was just three strokes behind the winner's 278. He had finished in the top 25 in May in Spain.