Claret Jug moments ‘extra motivation’ for Stenson
scrapbook, then. “I’ve been going through that one a few times since,” Stenson said.
“It was obviously a childhood dream, a boyhood dream and a career dream come true being the Open champion, and winning it in the way I managed to win it was very special also.
“All in all, it’s my finest performance, no question about it when you take everything into it. Just brings back nice memories talking about it.”
The mental souvenirs have been racking up since.
As Champion Golfer of the Year, Stenson got to keep the Claret Jug until this week’s tournament, which tees off at Royal Birkdale on Thursday. He finished tied-third there nine years ago.
More recently, the world No 8 clearly enjoyed his time with the trophy, at one point even jet-skiing with the jug in tow.
Defend successfully this week, and Stenson has promised to take it skydiving. “Well, I can’t say there’s been a bad moment,” he said. “We’ve had some ... good talks and good evenings together. But the best evening would have had to be the eve of winning it.
“The guy who’s kind of Mr Golf in Sweden, a Swedish golf commentator, it was his 50th Open Championship. Obviously even he had started to doubt if we were ever going to see a Swedish male win a major.
“I invited him to a little after-party and he got to drink out of the Claret Jug – that was a special moment for sure. And also sharing it with the family and friends.
“My daughter had some Coca-Cola and my son had some Sprite out of it, so there’s been various drinks.”
Originally Stenson, whose base is in North America, kept the Claret Jug in his office or the kitchen, but a move at the end of the year meant it was rehoused on the living-room’s coffee table in his new home.
Not surprisingly, it retained its allure.
“It’s become a little bit of a family member for the year and it’s going to be tough to give it back,” Stenson said.
“I know Zach [Johnson] said the same last year. He posted a picture with him and the family, like ‘oh, it’s time to hand it back’.
“I’m sure that’s going to be some extra motivation to try to bring it home again.”