ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

January 19, 2023

Henrik Stenson

Yas Links

Quick Quotes

Q. Your first competitive start in three months, 4-under 68, what's the secret today?

HENRIK STENSON: Hit a lot of good approach shots and made some nice putts as well. I'll definitely take that given the nine-hour time difference. The sleep level hasn't been great these first couple of nights here and my clubs didn't make it until Tuesday night. All in all, no practice round. Yeah, first shots on grass this morning. Happy with that.

Q. First round on the DP World Tour in quite some time. How is it to be back and what's the reception like from the other players?

HENRIK STENSON: It's been great. I haven't played obviously since The Scottish Open last summer. It's been a while. A lot of guys I haven't seen for a long, long time. It's been good fun to catch up with some long-time friends that I haven't seen for a long time. It's been a great week so far.

Q. We haven't spoken in a long time also. Wanted to ask you about that Ryder Cup captaincy decision, going to LIV; that you knew there was a chance that you would lose that Ryder Cup captaincy and you did. How do you reflect on that now? Do you have any regrets?

HENRIK STENSON: No, I made my decision and obviously Ryder Cup Europe made theirs. Yeah, it's not great but it is what it is, and Ryder Cup has been a huge part of my career. I wish Luke all the best with the team going forward and we'll see where we all end up in the long run with this.

Q. Other people have been saying, if you go to LIV and take that opportunity, you shouldn't come back and play this tour. How would you respond to them?

HENRIK STENSON: The way I look at it, when all of us went to play on the PGA TOUR back in the day, we shouldn't have been welcomed back either then. There's multiple tours in the world and as far as I'm concerned, as long as you fulfill your criteria and earn your right to be there, you should be able to play in as many tournaments as you like. But I haven't had one step up to me personally and vent those thoughts.

Q. Not the easiest, clubs not turning up, you must be very pleased?

HENRIK STENSON: Yeah, not to mention, we had a chat the other day as well, that put the scars in. Absolutely, I probably had the worst night of sleep last night. I only felt like I was sleeping two, three hours, and then you are kind of there twisting and turning, nine-hour time difference. It takes a few days to get into it.

Coming in borderline late losing the clubs; not getting the clubs on a direct flight is always frustrating. Got it on Tuesday night and got some practice done yesterday. Didn't hit any shots on the golf course before the opening tee shots today.

So yeah, pleased with the start for sure, and we'll try and head in the right direction.

Q. Did you surpass expectations?

HENRIK STENSON: Yeah, both yes and no. I thought I played my way around this golf course nicely, and gave myself plenty of opportunities. There were certainly a few close shavings coming in here with some birdie chances, but also made some good ones here and there along the way. I think it was a pretty fair reflection of how I played and the score I got.

Q. What has it been like this week? Obviously this is your first time playing on the DP World Tour since the captaincy was taken from you.

HENRIK STENSON: Yeah, it's been good to be back. A lot of players and a lot of people out here, especially in this region as well; I was a residence in Dubai. I played these events for 20-odd years. Yeah, it's always fun to come back and see everyone. It's a great startup of the season, and I've had a great week so far.

Q. Do you feel welcome?

HENRIK STENSON: Absolutely. No question.

Q. Does that surprise you, given, you know, obviously a lot of the talk in the buildup and everything that has gone on with what has been basically billed as golf's 'Civil War.'

HENRIK STENSON: Yeah, it's been difficult times obviously. We're still to the through that. I hope we end up in a place where everything works out the best for everyone, players, spectators, tours and everything else. Yeah, it's been a rocky road, not just on my end the last six months. I think for the most part, people are above that.

If you're friends with someone, you're friends with them no matter where they choose to work. And sometimes even if someone makes a decision that you don't necessarily agree with or think is the right one with the information and the circumstances that you have in front of you, but if you're friends, you can look past that, and that's what I feel here.

There's a lot of people that I have spent many years with, and they continue to be my friends no matter where I play my golf.

Q. But there is a lot of uncertainty around. How wearing is that on you?

HENRIK STENSON: No, there's not really much wearing on my end. I'm worrying about my backswing and my 3-footers, and trying to play golf the best I can for what I have in front of me. These other things are not really in my hands and it's not my decisions to make. Like I said, I hope they are all going to work out for the better for everyone involved.