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BMW INTERNATIONAL OPEN

June 26, 2016

Henrik Stenson

Cologne, Germany

MICHAEL GIBBONS: Thank you for coming in. Many congratulations. Talk us through a very long and profitable day.

HENRIK STENSON: Yeah, I don't know where to start. I guess early this morning with the third round, there was no golf for me yesterday. I was out there early with the -- early, well, 8.42. It was still the last game, but 8.42, played in twosomes in the morning. I played really solid again. Didn't drop a shot and made five birdies and the rest pars. So very happy with the morning round.

Then a quick lunch turnaround, out in threesomes. Of course, it kind of throw things around a little bit when it's not a normal week when you can have someone playing a couple of groups ahead. ThorbjÃ¸rn was in the group much ahead; otherwise, we would have played together of course, since we were first and second going into the final round.

But out again, and yeah, I started off okay but then had a bad patch for about seven, eight holes. Started getting a little windy. Got the wind wrong a few occasions. Kind of hit a couple of bad shots, ended up in some bad spots and missed one or two putts.

I didn't have much momentum in the middle of the round. I had to dig deep, I did that, and I managed to turn things around to come out on top. Very pleased with that.

I think that bunker shot on 14, in particular, was key on the back nine. I played par there. It was a bit of rain, a bit of wind, tough conditions. Made a great up-and-down on 14, and then some tough putts on 15, 16, 17, to close it out.

MICHAEL GIBBONS: And you've always had a special relationship with this event, but what does it mean to win it twice?

HENRIK STENSON: It's great. This was one of my first victories on The European Tour back in '06. I think it was my fourth victory, and then back-to-back seconds, last year in Munich, made a charge, I think I shot 65 the last round to finish second. Then I was part of that big playoff here two years ago, the five-man playoff and I was the second-last one to lose out. So sweet to win it now after coming so close the last two years.

MICHAEL GIBBONS: Questions for Henrik if we have any.

HENRIK STENSON: I think we covered it all.

Q. Winning here at the BMW International Open, and in Germany, is it even more special?
HENRIK STENSON: It's great. Like I said, I played the BMW International Open most years. It's been on my schedule most years since I came out on Tour in 2001, and I've had a lot of great finishes. They always put on a very good show wherever we play their tournaments in the world, whether it's in the US, Asia or here. It's a pleasure to be back and I really feel, because I've been a strong supporter of this event in Germany, I've got a great relationship with the German fans, as well.

And I said that earlier; outside Sweden, this is my second home tournament on the European schedule. So it's always good to be back, and I really feel the support.

MICHAEL GIBBONS: Sounds like you'll be back to defend then?

HENRIK STENSON: That is only 99.9 percent certainty.

Q. On the stats, now tying Robert Karlsson, most wining Swede is that important to you?
HENRIK STENSON: Yeah, I know, I keep track of Robert, he's won 11. Up until today, I managed to win some nice tournaments and a very nice career to date.

Of course you always want to try to be the one who has played the most Ryder Cups, the highest-ranked Swede winning the most times and so on. I'm chasing those 11, don't you worry about that.

Q. After the disappointment of Oakmont, what does this do for you heading in to The Open?
HENRIK STENSON: Yeah, of course, it's a confidence boost. I managed to defend in Dubai at the end of '14 and '15. I played some great golf at times but I just didn't manage to leave with a victory. I felt like I should have had two wins in the '14 or '15 season, or possibly even three. Either I didn't play good enough when it mattered or someone else played really, really well.

Of course that was a bit annoying, and a little painful at times not to come out on top when you've done such a good job for the whole week and you come out one shy at the end; of course that hurts.

But it feels like I've got a nice little boost now in the right direction with the confidence. We've got a big summer ahead. We've got two more majors, the Olympics, the FedExCup and The Ryder Cup. There's a lot of golf to play, so this is definitely a push in the right direction.

MICHAEL GIBBONS: Well done again Henrik.

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