The Swede, whose 10-under par 62 in windy conditions on the third day of the inaugural event in 2006 is still unmatched over 18 holes after all these years, is yet to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship – the only Desert Swing event he hasn’t won.
After doing very well in the first editions of the tournament, starting his season in Abu Dhabi has been a tough ask for the 40-year-old. He did finish third last year, but has faced a myriad of issues. In 2011 and 2012, he was struggling with his form. In 2014, he admitted to be bone-weary following his triumph on both sides of the Atlantic. On two other occasions, he reached the capital after undergoing knee surgeries.
And yet, Stenson has always liked to start his year in Abu Dhabi. This week, he is only one of eight players who have played all 11 previous editions.
This year again, the reigning European No1 and Open champion arrives a bit undercooked in terms of practice, but is hopeful he has carried over his form from last year.
“It’s a bit of a soft start for me in terms of practice, but the game felt pretty good. So I hope we can carry on from where I left it last year, and we’ll just see if it’s been conserved well enough over Christmas,” said Stenson, who was named the Swedish Male Athlete of the Year on Monday by beating Zlatan Ibrahimovich among others.
“This break, we did skiing in Utah with the kids. I’m not sure if that helped my golf too much. I prefer to keep my body a bit straighter when we’re playing golf than skiing.
“But I’ve aired the clubs for the last week in Orlando before I headed out. It was still getting airborne. It was going forward, and I managed to get some good putting sessions in, as well. Given that I haven’t done that much, it still felt pretty good.”
Stenson said the round of 62 remains his favourite memory of playing all the 11 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championships and thought it would be difficult to better it considering how the National course has grown in difficulty.
“I played really well that day. I think I picked up two eagles on the back nine and shot 10-under 62. And one thing that’s drastically changed is that the course has over time, it’s become a lot harder. It’s a bit longer and we’ve had some changes in tee boxes,” said Stenson.
“And just because I said it, someone is going to shoot 61, I’m sure. But it felt like that 62 was going to be pretty hard to beat, given the changes to the course and some tougher pin positions on a few holes. So it’s gotten harder. It’s a tougher golf course than it was.”
Stenson said his maiden major win – at the Open Championship in Royal Troon after an epic Sunday battle with Phil Mickelson – has only made him hungry for more.
“I always thought I had the ability to win a major championship. Of course, now that I have done it, you always think when you are coming into a big tournament and you are one or two shots behind that you can go and shoot another 63 and win this. It might not happen every time, but I have more belief now because I have done it,” said Stenson.
“So yes, it does give me a bit more confidence. If I put my career in front of me, I feel I got everything I wanted to achieve, and the major win was the last piece of the puzzle.”
Stenson tees off today in the company of the two other reigning major champions – Masters winner Danny Willett and US Open winner Dustin Johnson – from the 10th tee at 7:40.
