Stoked by first victory in a major, golfer Henrik Stenson sets sights on Rio 2016 glory
Swede says winning a gold medal would be 'huge' for his country
Henrik Stenson won his first major on his 42nd attempt and is now hungry for a taste of Olympic gold (Photo: Getty Images/Stuart Franklin)
After claiming his first major title with a majestic performance at The Open in Scotland at the weekend, Swedish golfer Henrik Stenson has his sights set on glory at next month’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Golf's top four male players have withdrawn from the Olympic Games, but Stenson, now fifth in golf´s official world rankings, is looking forward to the opportunity.
“I've been excited to go and get a feel of the Olympic atmosphere for a long time,” Stenson said. “I want to try and play well and do myself and my country proud by hopefully bringing home a medal.”
Stenson finished The Open with a score of 264, 20 under par, the lowest 72-hole score ever in a major. He tied Jason Day's record for lowest under par, set last year at the PGA Championship.
His final stroke of this major masterpiece was a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole at Royal Troon that tumbled into the cup on the last turn.
His 10th birdie of the round gave him an 8-under score of 63 to match Johnny Miller for the lowest closing round by a major champion.
The Swede won his first major at his 42nd attempt, becoming only the eighth player to capture his first major after turning 40. Beyond the score, the measure of his performance was that he putted for a birdie on every hole on Sunday.
Young golf guns Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy, among others, cited concerns over the zika virus for not playing at this year’s Olympic Games, but Stenson said that was never an issue for him. "I'm not afraid of mosquitoes. I'm more afraid of bears," he told reporters recently.
Opportunity for Olympic medal
The Swede said winning a gold medal would mean a lot for his country. “It would be special to the broader sports crowd and to the whole country,” Stenson said.
For Stenson, the opportunity to play for country and possible Olympic glory is too enticing to pass up.
"I have a few nice trophies at home, and it would be nice to hang an Olympic medal next to them," Stenson said. "Like with any competition, five years down the line you're not going to think about who wasn't there. You're going to think about who won the medals."
There is one more major to play before the start of Rio 2016: the PGA Championship gets underway on 28 July at Baltusrol Golf Club, New Jersey.
The men's Olympic golf competition will take place from 11 to 14 August.
