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Henrik Stenson gave up being the Ryder Cup captain because he chose to join LIV Golf. Even though it was a tough choice, he knew it would have consequences. Last year, the European team, led by Luke Donald, did well and won against the US team in Rome. Stenson mentioned in an interview that he watched the Ryder Cup on TV and seems to believe he played a part in the European team’s success.
“Quite a lot of that was carrying on from the work that we started a year out,” Stenson told the Evening Standard, as reported by golfmonthly.com
“All the changes on the golf course, and quite a few of the people who were involved with the team. Even though I wasn’t anywhere near the team, I still knew what was going on.”
Stenson mentioned that because plans were made well in advance, he was aware of details like the appearance of the golf bags, the design of fairways and bunkers, and the people responsible for team analytics, including Edoardo Molinari. His early knowledge meant there were no unexpected developments during the Ryder Cup. This suggests that Stenson’s earlier involvement and awareness were crucial factors in the team’s preparation and success during the event.
Henrik Stenson on watching the Ryder Cup
Stenson confirmed that the different time zone was a problem, but that he managed to watch a lot. It seems that from the beginning he was confident that the European team would win and confirm its dominance.
Whether Stenson was thinking objectively or subjectively, we will not go into that, but certainly that optimism existed from the first day.
“I watched some of it. With the time difference, the two morning sessions were pretty much done by the time I woke up.”
Stenson praised the exceptional effort of the team, recognizing their impressive lead. On the last day, as is common in competitions, the opposing team made a comeback, making the match appear closer at one point. However, the European team ultimately won, as anticipated after the initial two days.
