Icing on the cake for Swede’s spectacular season
What a year it has been for Henrik Stenson! Life truly has begun at forty for the player from Gothenburg. He has played in 15 tournaments on the European Tour this season and has amassed more than 4 million euros in prize money as well as some impressive silverware for his trophy cabinet. The Olympic Silver Medal, which he won in Rio de Janeiro in the summer when golf returned to the Games for the first time since 1904, no doubt taking pride of place alongside the Claret Jug. And now, the icing on the cake: he has become the European Tour Number One – again!
Stenson broke just about every record in the book when he won The Open Championship in spectacular fashion at Royal Troon in July to become the first Swede to win a Major. A few weeks’ earlier he had won the BMW International Open in Germany. Now he has rounded-off his superb 2016 season as winner of the Race to Dubai for the second time. It was in 2013 that he first topped the European Order of Merit.
There was little doubt that Stenson would finish first again this season. It was more a question of by how many. Down the final stretch it was Masters Champion Danny Willett from England and fellow Swede Alex Noren who pursued him. They finished in second and third spot, respectively.
“It’s been the best year of my career!”
– Henrik Stenson
The DP World Tour Championship staged at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai (17-20 November) was the final tournament in the lucrative Final Series on the European Tour. The last event in the Race to Dubai. Whilst it was 22-year old Matt Fitzpatrick who stole the show with a stoic 17-under par victory, Stenson shot an impressive 7-under par 65 for a share of 9th place on 12-under with, among others, former World Number One Rory McIlroy. They both shot rounds of 65 on Sunday. It was Stenson’s eleventh top-10 finish in 15 tournaments on the Tour this season.
It’s fascinating to realise that this time last year, Rory was collecting his third Race to Dubai title within four seasons.
Stenson also picked up a rather cool 1.25 million dollar bonus for winning the Race to Dubai. Indeed, every player that finished in the top-10 of the order of merit received a share of the 5 million dollar bonus pot. Oh, and let´s not forget the cheque he received for that shared 9th spot in the final event: €147,839. There is only one word for it: phenomenal!
During the prize presentation in Dubai, former BBC golf presenter Dougie Donnelly, asked Henrik Stenson about his goals for 2017 after such a great year. His cheeky reply:
“Copy, paste really! It’s easy now!”
Nice one, Henrik! Many congratulations on your terrific season and good luck in 2017!
Wendy Hoad
PICTURED: A delighted Henrik Stenson gets his hands on the Race to Dubai trophy for the second time. Alongside Europe’s Number One golfer is Keith Pelley, the Chief Executive of the European Tour.
READ MORE ABOUT THE EPIC FINAL EVENT IN DUBAI …