Antalya, Turkey …
Sweden’s top-ranked Henrik Stenson will miss the remainder of the European Tour season after a freak ‘Superman’ injury ahead of last fortnight’s WGC – HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.
Stenson incurred a rib injury in a promotion on the eve of the China event and this despite in then bravely finishing joint runner-up behind England’s Justin Rose.
The Swede, however, continued to aggravate the injury during this week’s Turkish Airlines Open and this was reflected in shooting a disappointing four-under par tally on the Regnun Carya course in Antalya.
Stenson had joined World No. 1 Dustin Johnson and China No. 1 Haotung Li in the tournament promotion at The Bund in downturn Shanghai ‘hovering’ above Japana’s Hideki Matsuyama who was guarding the trophy he won a year ago.
“I am not Superman given certain people thought I was Superman so if you saw the promotion in Shanghai you know what I mean,” Stenson said.
Henrik Stenson (l) as Superman in a promotion ahead of the WGC – HSBC Champions. (Photo – www.europeantour/Getty)
“I thought it was a muscle concern in my rib cage but it looks now it is a bone bruise. I have been feeling when I swing so it has been rough this week and while I was not 100% last week, I guess the travel and the way things progressed it started getting worse rather than better.
“So, I am getting an MRI but then I had it strapped when I was competing Wednesday and Thursday. It has not been good and I also have not been able to do myself justice suffice to say in terms of my golf.”
The injury has ruled Stenson out of the closing two events of the European Tour season, next week’s Nedbank Challenge in South Africa and the following week’s DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“I went to Shanghai from having five weeks off so I was ready to play all four but then this injury now makes things more complicated”, he said.
“So, I will know in a few days but at this point I am hoping my rib is going to be good enough to play at the Hero World Challenge (November 30th to December 3rd).”
Stenson’s rib injury is a second to side-line one of Europe’s top stars with four-time Major winning Rory McIlroy finally being able to rest a rib injury he first suffered late last year while practicing ahead of the start to 2017.
McIlroy had undergone an MRI straight after losing a play-off in January’s BMW SA Open in South Africa to be side-lined for some six weeks but then only to reaggravate the concern returning early to competition.
