Stenson eyes Gulf Slam
Swede also ready to challenge for Majors after ‘ dream year’
Swedish golf ace Henrik Stenson is looking to keep the dream run he enjoyed last year going.
“It’s been such a dream year for me and the season of my life,” said Stenson, who won nearly $ 6.4 million ( Dh23.50 million) in 2013, a year after he counted earnings of $ 791,107 for an entire season.
Out of the 18 events on the PGA Tour he figured in, Stenson came off with titles on two occasions, finished runnerup thrice and settled for third place once. He won two Fed Ex Cup playoff events — Deutsche Bank and the Tour Championship. More importantly, he finished no worse than in 21st place in all four Majors. Speaking exclusively to
Stenson said: “It was a huge honour to be voted The European Tour Golfer of the Year because it was the most unbelievable year for me and I am delighted to have won the award, especially as I am the first Swede to do so. Most of the great names in golf are there in that list and that further adds to the prestige of winning it.”
Stenson destroyed the field at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, winning both the European Tour’s Race to Dubai and the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup in the same season. The 37- yearold now has a unique opportunity to start the 2014 season by completing a ‘ Gulf Slam’ with a win at the HSBC Abu Dhabi Championships in less than two weeks’ time.
Seasoned rivals
“The Gulf Slam is something that is on my agenda and it would be great to play well in Abu Dhabi this year. I came close to winning out there in 2006 and 2008,” declared Stenson, who will be facing a stiff challenge from a line- up that also includes the likes of threetime Abu Dhabi champion Martin Kaymer, US Open title holder Justin Rose, former world No. 1s Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald, five- time Major winner Phil Mickelson, crowd favourite Sergio Garcia and the reigning champion Jamie Donaldson.
The kind of form Stenson is in, many golf pundits have already tipped him to end the Major drought this season. Stenson too has set his sights on winning a Major this year.
“After the season that I have had, I think that winning a Major is the biggest goal for me now and if I can continue to play at the level I have been, then I feel I can have a pretty good shot at them this year. Another big goal for me is making the Ryder Cup team this year and although I know I have got some early points on the board for qualification, I am not taking anything for granted and will be trying my hardest to seal my place.”
So what is behind the phenomenal results? “I’m not sure if I have done anything majorly different to other ones. I have always worked hard but last year, things seemed to just click. One of the important things is that I have put more of a long- term, process- orientated plan in place rather than employing shortterm weekly goals.”