Henrik Stenson overcame the disappointment of finishing runner-up in The Open along with battling a blistered foot to be just one shot off the lead in the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

The Swede had to change into an older pair of golf shoes late in his round of a five under par 65 in ideal conditions on the Firestone Country Club course.

Former US Open champ, Webb Simpson grabbed the lead with a 64 while seven-time Bridgestone winner, Tiger Woods quickly signalled his intentions with a 66.

Stenson spent a week back in Sweden after finishing three shots behind American Phil Mickelson at Muirfield.

Henrik Stenson suffers a blister during his round but it’ was not as hurtful as the French Revolution. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)

It was the best finish by a Swede in golf’s oldest Major since Jesper Parnevik also finished runner in the 1994 Open at Turnberry.

The effort was Stenson’s second straight top of the board finish after being third to Mickelson a week earlier in the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.

And Stenson kick-started a hopeful first success this season starting birdie eagle.

“It’s not the worst way to start a round here at Akron,” he said.

“But then I’ve had some ups-and-downs out here, and I’ve been in two slumps, one in ’01-’02, and then in 2011 was a poor season.

“The last time I played here was 2010 but then I was very ill.  I had viral pueumonia that I wasn’t fully aware of, so I was really struggling.

“Looking back I really should not have played, but then I don’t walk around here with the baggage of bad memories due to that week.

“But then in saying that, I save Tiger from being last that year, so I’m going to say he was grateful.”

Stenson’s only discomfort on day one of this year’s $US 8.75m event was his footwear.

“I had a new pair of shoes this week, and I played nine hole in them on Tuesday and nine on Wednesday, and didn’t feel a thing,” he said.

“But then today they just started to eat into my right heel.  Normally, it’s not an issue but I felt a blister coming along, so I had someone bring out my old shoes.

“The shoes didn’t match the outfit perfectly but when I made the switch at the turn, it was good.  The blister then popped on 17.”

And when Stenson was quizzed how dealing with a foot blister compared with how he felt in 2010 he again revealed his bizarre wit.

He said:  “A blister is not too bad.  It was tougher at the French Revolution, I think.”