Triple Ryder Cup star Henrik Stenson is prepared to take Masters champion Danny Willett under his wings in the lead-up to Hazeltine.
Stenson’s currently lying fifth overall on the qualifying table and with Willett top of the team points list and guaranteed a first European Team cap.
In fact, and with three months to the start of competition Willett also is among five rookies in the current leading nine qualifiers.
Stenson played alongside Willett for the opening two rounds of the BMW International Open, and severely disrupted yesterday (SAT) on day three in Dusseldorf due to heavy rain.
While Willett missed the German cut and for a first time in 11 Race to Dubai events this year, Stenson reckons he’d enjoy partnering the Augusta National winning hero in the Sheffield golfer’s maiden Ryder Cup.
And this is despite Stenson having teamed with Justin Rose two years ago at Gleneagles to win all three of their Fourball and Foursomes matches,
Henrik Stenson happy to help Danny Willett in preparing for Ryder Cup at Hazeltine.
“Danny and I talked a bit over the possible Hazeltine pairings and given it will be Danny’s first Ryder Cup, it’s always hard for a rookie knowing what to expect,” said Stenson heading into the third round of the rain-affected BMW International Open near Cologne,
“But then given the experience he will bring to the team, and having won the Masters, he should be fine.
“I remember playing in this BMW event in 2006, and before I won that week, as I played the first two rounds with Padraig Harrington and he was superb in telling me what to expect heading in what was my first Ryder Cup.
“So it’s always good to have a chat with those guys who will be making their Ryder Cup debut.
“And also with about three months to go, I will have plenty more chances to again speak with Danny along with some other guys who look also to be playing in a Ryder Cup for a first time.”
Of those among the top-nine qualifiers Stenson is the oldest at 40 and four years older than Rose and Sergio Garcia while the average age of the other six in 27 years.
Stenson said: “I am probably more experienced in terms of age and having enjoyed a long career and more than guys who may have played more Ryder Cups then me, and that’s for sure.
“So yes, I think I can be one of the guys who will be helpful to the rookies, if needed.
“For me, it’s the most fun I’ve had on my career and that is playing in a Ryder Cup and I don’t expect Hazeltine to be any less fun.
“But then we also need to wait and see how the team shapes up at the end of qualifying because there is also many more ways an older player like me can help the European Team.
“I found a great partnership with Justin (Rose) two years ago as I have been bouncing with a few different players in my Ryder Cup career as I’ve had six different partners in eight different team matches in my three Ryder Cups.
“So that made it nice at Gleneagles to be able to find a winning partnership with Justin and more than likely I would expect he and I to be again paired.
“But nothing is written in stone and when we get to Hazeltine Darren (Clarke) has to put the best teams out there on the course who he and the team thinks can win the points,
