Remarkably, Yasir’s superb display came in his first Test outside of Asia and the UAE. PHOTO: REUTERS
Stenson had arrived at Troon last week regarded as an outsider for the title after a frustrating run at the majors that culminated in his withdrawal from last month’s US Open after playing 16 holes of his second round in 10 over par.
But the 40-year-old Swede stormed to his first major crown with rounds of 68, 65 and 68 followed by a joint record 63 on Sunday to hold off a strong challenge from Phil Mickelson.
British Open: Merciless Troon claims high-profile victims
Having climbed to fifth in the new world rankings, Stenson, who had only a handful of top four finishes at the majors on his CV, hopes this is the beginning of a lengthy spell in contention for the sport’s top prizes.
“We’re only just getting started, aren’t we?” said Stenson yesterday, 24 hours after becoming only the second player to finish a major in 20 under par. “You never know once you open the floodgates what might happen. We’ve got a big schedule this summer. It’s the PGA in a week’s time [at Baltusrol] and then the Olympics.”
Stenson didn’t have long to celebrate lifting the Claret Jug before flying to Switzerland early yesterday to take part in Ryder Cup teammate Sergio Garcia’s charity event.
The Open: Reed in lead, Oosthuizen impresses
His success on the fairways of Troon was a far cry from the time four years ago when Stenson had slumped to 230th in the world rankings.
Add in the loss of millions of dollars in disgraced financier Allen Stanford’s Ponzi scheme in 2009, as well as some serious health problems — including one caused by a parasite picked up on holiday — and Stenson’s recovery is all the more remarkable.
“The second slump in my career was nothing compared to the one I had in the early 2000s,” he added. “I managed to put my game together with a lot of hard work and help from my team and support from my family and friends. If I didn’t believe, I wouldn’t be sitting here. It’s a dream come true.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 19th, 2016.
Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ