Double winning BMW International Open winner Henrik Stenson will head to Royal Troon for two days ahead of next month’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open in a goal of becoming the first Swede to capture The Open.
Stenson did that three years ago and when Castle Stuart last hosted the Scottish Open also spending two days of that week familiarizing himself with Muirfield to then share third place along the Moray Firth shoreline behind Phil Mickelson.
A week later, Stenson then finished runner-up to Mickelson at Muirfield so much so the now 40-year old Swede is hoping the same pre-Open Championship scouting mission could lead to being handed the famed Claret Jug.
“I went to Muirfield early also in 2013 ahead of playing the Scottish when we were last at Castle Stuart and then looked where I finished in The Open,” said Stenson.
“So maybe be heading to Royal Troon ahead of this year’s Scottish Open I can go one better in this year’s Open.”
Stenson was commenting after further cementing his Hazeltine place with a three shot victory near Cologne in Germany.
Sweden’s Henril Stenson ends 18-month winless drought to cement his place in a fourth European Ryder Cup team.
In the process, Stenson ended an 18-month winless drought completing 36-holes over the final day with scores of 67 and 71 for a 17-under par tally on a rain-softened Gut Larcenhof course.
It is Stenson’s 10th European Tour title and he’s now just one victory short of matching Robert Karlsson’s all-time Swedish record of 11 wins.
However, more importantly Stenson has locked-in a fourth Ryder Cup cap and the oldest to date in Darren Clarke’s team.
“I had virtually wrapped-up my place in the Ryder Cup but then this win should be a huge boost for our team as there is a few rookies who could be in the side, and we are also going to need plenty of experience,” he said.
“But in saying that there is a lot of experience just of the edge of being selected and with two Majors and the FedEx Cup Series still to play.”
Stirling’s Craig Lee, who also played 36 holes on day four, finished the best of the four remaining Scots but shooting 75 and 73 for a share of 45th place at one under par.
