Henrik Stenson, the 2016 Open champion, is set to make a surprise return to the PGA Tour after being relegated from the Saudi-backed LIV league.
Despite being one of a short list of players to have won a major championship during their career, Stenson has not played golf since he was relegated from LIV last August.
In a brutal turn of events, the Swedish golfer missed a putt on the final hole of the season-ending event in Indianapolis that saw him finish one shot behind teammate Ian Poulter, meaning he was relegated from LIV Golf after four years in the league.
Since then, the 50-year-old has been enjoying a break away from the sport, no doubt keeping a eye on various reports claiming that LIV Golf could shut down in the coming months.
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However, Stenson is now preparing to make his comeback, and he's got his eyes set on returning to the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour after settling his outstanding fines handed to him for joining LIV back in November.
“It’s the longest competitive break in my 28-year career,” Stenson told Today's Golfer.
“The previous longest was Covid – about four and a half months. It will be a long break, but I’d hope 28 years of experience means you can pick up where you left off."
Stenson will make his comeback at the $3 million Senior PGA Championship and plans to keep busy in the coming months before returning to the major stage for the US Open this summer.
He added: “I’m in a position now where I can fully control my schedule and play how much or how little I want, you know, going forward, and I’m really pleased to be in that situation at this stage in my career.
“It’s going to be a bit of a hybrid this year for sure. I’m playing the Senior PGA, playing Barbados Legends, and then most likely I might do a US Open qualifier in London for the regular US Open.
“In July, I’m playing Senior US Open, the Open and the Senior Open.”
Stenson made the move to LIV in 2022, joining as the co-captain of the Majesticks GC team alongside Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.
Once news of the move reached the European Ryder Cup team, he was removed as captain and replaced by current leader Luke Donald, who has since lead Team Europe to back-to-back wins in 2022 and 2025.
However, after making over $10million in prize money across his time playing in LIV, Stenson now feels he is ready to come back and challenge on the senior tour a decade after his crowning moment beating Phil Mickelson to become The Open champion at Royal Troon.
Topics:Â Golf
Ben McCrum