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HENRIK STENSON he shadows were length- a demanding PLAYERS Stadium Course especially welcome since he had been ening as Henrik Stenson are rare. What made it impressive was negatively affected by the poor economy walked toward his car that that having started well behind Cejka, he and an array of poor investments. Saturday in May 2009. His swept past the German with a rush and Now Stenson was no longer just face looked tanned, his never wavered. His 66 contained 12 pars a European Ryder Cup player (2006 and feet clip-clopped on the and six birdies. 2008), the man who had won six tourna- tarmacT surface and he held his wallet, his Scrambling successfully for pars ments on the European Tour and the car keys and his mobile phone in his right on the third and fifth holes were key to hand. You would not have known that he keeping him calm. A 15-foot had squandered a few shots toward the birdie putt went down on the end of his third round of THE PLAYERS seventh. On the ninth, Stenson Championship and stood five strokes was on the green in two, bird- behind Alex Cejka, the 54-hole leader. ied the hole and remembers You would not have known because thinking: “Now, I’m right in the in a post-round practice session, Stenson mix.” His progress from there to had corrected what needed correcting the 18th was imperious and, as and was happier. Sometimes he had so often happens, the stronger grabbed the head of an iron and swung it he became, his rivals fell away. upside down with his left hand only. This Stenson, clearly, was destined to unusual training trick helped give him the win. His only slight blemish was to feeling of turning into the ball. leak his drive to the right on the 14th. 2007 World Golf Championships-Accenture And now the Swede was shouted “I liked Sawgrass the first time I saw Match Play champion. With this perfor- at by a journalist as the two men passed it in 2006,” Stenson said. “It matches my mance, Stenson won his first stroke-play one another in the gathering dusk. “Play personality. You can see what is in front event on the PGA TOUR and elevated his well tomorrow, Henrik,” the journalist said. of you. Take a pin on and hit a good shot name higher among world-class players, “Make me write about you.” and you will get the reward. If you don’t rising to fifth in the Official World Golf Rarely can a journalist’s instruction hit a good shot you pay the price. That Ranking. have been so well obeyed. The next day, last round was the best I have ever played Stenson played the round of his life, and considering where I was in the field and ‘GREAT DETERMINATION’ one of the greatest finishing rounds of the the degree of difficulty of the course.” If you want to learn more about year. A 66, 6-under par, deservedly earned The handsome trophy was prize Stenson, then the first port of call is THE PLAYERS title. enough for the Swede, then just past his Pete Cowen, the laconic, stern-looking Rounds as good as Stenson’s on 33rd birthday, but the huge purse was Englishman who was himself a pro golfer The Funny Man BehindBehind those wraparound shades, 2009 PLAYERS Champion Henrik Stenson is a grounded family man who has a great sense ooff hhumor.u mo r. TTheh e SSwede w ed e iiss aalso ls o a mman an wwho ho Behind The Shades had the nerve to revive his golf game after nearly losing his touch. | By John Hopkins 14 | THE PLAYERS 2010 • PGATOUR.COM ehind The Shades | 15 HENRIK STENSON and used to practice until his hands bled. former and a three-time women’s champion at Henrik Stenson joked around in the Champions Locker Cowen and Stenson share a respect for one Barseback Golf and Country Club near Malmo, Room after winning THE PLAYERS 2009. another and a mutual work ethic. Sweden (Henrik has been club champion five “Once, Henrik would do what I asked times), married Henrik in 2006 and they had seeing him playing golf but of standing in him to do with greater determination than their second child, Karl, earlier this year. Lisa, southern Spain and reading the Bible at anyone I have ever met,” Cowen said. “If I Lisa’s baptism,” said Goran Zachrisson, the said to him you have to practice that shot all distinguished golf commentator on Swedish day and nothing else, he would do it. But his television. “Henrik is a helluva father, believe family takes precedence now. He is a devoted me. A helluva father.” family man with other things in his life. He For further guidance about Sweden’s loves having the family with him and when best golfer you go to Ingemar, Henrik’s father. he doesn’t, he is like a bear with a sore head. “Only that victory in 2001 “In character, Henrik is a mixture of his I am just saying that once he would have mother and of me,” Ingemar Stenson said. stopped him from losing practiced all day if I had asked him to - and “He has my temper but fortunately he also all night too if necessary.” his card. I said it might has his mother’s calmness. When I played Stenson met Emma Lofgren, who would take one year, 18 months, sport, I used to get angry and Henrik is the become his wife, in Sweden and followed 24 months. He said, ‘OK, same.” her to the United States where she was on let’s do it.’ ” He sets goals and does not give up a golf scholarship at the University of South –PETE COWEN ON HELPING until he has achieved them. He won his first Carolina. In Columbia, SC, in the late 1990s, RESURRECT STENSON’S GAME European Tour title at the 2001 Benson & Stenson helped open the school’s practice Hedges International Open in England. That facility and practiced with the Gamecock their daughter, is remembered for joining her summer he had a relapse of some bad habits men’s golf team, even though he was more father on the 72nd green as he holed out at and could not hit a fairway with his driver. focused on his own professional career. last year’s PLAYERS. At the European Open, it took him three Emma, all-Southeastern Conference per- “My main memory of Henrik is not of drives with a 3-wood on the opening tee shot 16 | THE PLAYERS 2010 • PGATOUR.COM HENRIK STENSON to get his ball in play. He continually drove the ball out of play and withdrew after nine holes. He would practice with his eyes closed to find a solution and said he was “embarrassed” and “depressed” about the loss of his game. “One of the proudest moments of my life was when he announced he was going to start all over again,” Ingemar said. “He was 25 and had been playing golf for nearly 15 years, yet he was prepared to put himself through all that again in order to improve. “But that’s Henrik. He is stubborn. When he was 12 he told me he wanted to give up soccer and play golf. I told him to tell his soccer coach. I didn’t think he would do it. He was only 12, after all. But he picked up the telephone and told his coach. The coach asked to speak to me to see if I had any influence with Henrik. I said, ‘You heard him. He never changes his mind.’ He didn’t then, and he does not now.” In 2002, Stenson was recognized as a gifted and powerful golfer of considerable promise, one other Swedish professionals would nickname ‘The Special One,’ but in such a mess with his wayward game, he headed toward Cowen. “When we started working together, he said to me, ‘Pete, help me, please,’ ” Cowen said. “He couldn’t play at all. He was disas- trous. He couldn’t hit the course, never mind a fairway. Only that victory in 2001 stopped him from losing his card. I said it might take one year, 18 months, 24 months. He said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’ ” Henrik Stenson was greeted by his young daughter, Lisa, on the 18th green after winning the 2009 PLAYERS (above). He also is supported by his caddie, Fanny Sunesson (bottom, left) and has a stoic demeanor on the course. A PRACTICAL JOKER Tall, slim and most often straight-faced with wrap-around sunglasses to repel the sun’s glare, Stenson is a practical joker, asking his colleagues to sign an autograph with a pen that gives out a slight electric shock. He wore a green wig while celebrating the 2006 European Team victory in the Ryder Cup. “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” he said, dryly. He does not look like an extrovert but there must be something of that in a man who is pre- pared to strip down to his underwear to play a shot from a water hazard, as he did during the World Golf Championships-CA Championship in 2009, and to look proud to have done it. THE PLAYERS 2010 • PGATOUR.COM | 17 HENRIK STENSON Stenson’s final-round 66 included six birdies over the final 12 holes and no bogeys. Listen to Cowen and Stenson on a He scratches his face. How many times, with a weird sense of humor,” Skönby said.

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