2013 FedEx Cup: Henrik Stenson Wins It All At Tour Championship
By Les Bailey
After winning the Deutsche Bank Championship three weeks ago, it was apparent that Henrik Stenson had two things on his mind. The Tour Championship, and the FedEx Cup. On Sunday afternoon, he won both after playing three and a half stellar rounds of golf at East Lake Golf Course and picked up a check for $11.4 Million dollars for his effort. It took the rain on Saturday afternoon to slow “The Machine” down for nine holes
Starting the final round at the Tour Championship by Coca Cola with a four-shot lead, Stenson played smart golf all day. Other than a couple of holes in the early going where he missed the fairways, he played the middle of the fairways, and the middle of the greens. He kept making pars, and forced the competition to make birdies.
It seemed at one time that everyone was making birdies, but no one could catch the 37 year-old Swede. His only bogey of the day came at the 14th hole and his two under par 68 total on the day would give him the win, and the FedEx Cup.
Even when he looked to be struggling late in the round, he hit phenomenal recovery shots from the sand twice coming down the stretch, and left no doubt that he wanted this championship as bad as anyone in the field.
Other than the problems he had during the rain on Saturday afternoon, Stenson made only one bogey each of the other days. Every time he would hit a uncharracteristic bad shot, his putter would bail him out. His biggest asset all year was his Greens in Regulation number, and it was again this week at East Lake.
Henrik Stenson is from Gothenburg Sweden, but makes his home in Orlando, and is committed to a full PGA Tour schedule. His stellar year will undoubtedly continue as he also leads the European Tour’s Race To Dubai points standings. The Race to Dubai playoffs begin next month in Shanghai.