[1] 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 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.

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.

The same year, Kinell was playing captain for the Swedish team with Anders Forsbrand, Magnus Persson and Ove Sellberg at the Hennessy Cognac Cup.

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.