Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Henrik Stenson

Discover the career path of Henrik Stenson, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Henrik Stenson is a Swedish professional golfer who turned pro in the late 1990s. He achieved significant success on the European Tour in the 2000s before focusing primarily on the PGA Tour after winning The Players Championship in 2009. After falling out of the top 200, Stenson had a resurgence in 2013, winning several titles and finishing runner-up at the Open Championship. He notably won the FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai that year. In 2016, Stenson secured his sole major championship victory at the Open Championship, defeating Phil Mickelson by three strokes.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1994: Represented Sweden

In 1994, at the age of 18, Stenson represented Sweden in the European Boys' Team Championship, where his team lost to England in the final.

1996: Won Italian Open Amateur Match-play Championship

In 1996, Stenson won the Italian Open Amateur Match-play Championship, defeating Robert-Jan Derksen in the final.

1998: Played Amateur Tournaments and Represented Sweden in Eisenhower Trophy

In 1998, Stenson played amateur tournaments on the Telia Tour, achieving top-10 finishes and representing Sweden at the Eisenhower Trophy in Santiago, Chile, where he finished as the best Swedish player.

1998: Turned Professional

In 1998, Stenson turned professional in golf.

2001: Won Benson & Hedges International Open

In 2001, Stenson won the Benson & Hedges International Open, marking his first European Tour victory.

2005: Top 10 Finish

In 2005, Stenson finished in the top 10 of the European Tour Order of Merit.

2006: Won BMW International Open

In 2006, Henrik Stenson won BMW International Open at the Golfclub München Eichenried.

2006: Ryder Cup Debut

In 2006, Stenson made his Ryder Cup debut, securing the winning putt to ensure Europe's third consecutive victory.

2006: Reached Top 20 in World Golf Ranking

In 2006, Stenson reached the top 20 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

February 2007: Won WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship

In February 2007, Stenson became the first Swede to win a World Golf Championship, defeating Geoff Ogilvy in the final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, reaching fifth in the world rankings.

2008: Sarah Skönby Becomes Manager

In 2008, Sarah Skönby, Emma Löfgren's sister, began working as Henrik Stenson's manager.

2008: Top 10 Finish

In 2008, Stenson finished in the top 10 of the European Tour Order of Merit.

2008: Played in Ryder Cup at Valhalla

In 2008, Stenson played in the Ryder Cup at Valhalla, where he had a mixed performance, including a loss in the singles match.

May 2009: Won The Players Championship

In May 2009, Stenson won The Players Championship with a final round score of 66, finishing four ahead of Ian Poulter and reaching fifth in the Official World Golf Ranking. The following week he moved up to fourth without playing.

2009: Stenson Wins The Players Championship

In 2009, Stenson won The Players Championship, the PGA Tour's flagship event, marking his first American stroke play victory, and reaching fifth in the Official World Golf Ranking as a result.

2010: Spent over 100 Weeks in Top 10

Between 2007 and 2010, Stenson spent over 100 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

September 2013: Won The Tour Championship and FedEx Cup

On September 22, 2013, Stenson won The Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club and the FedEx Cup. He tied his career best OWGR ranking of 4th.

November 2013: Won DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai

On November 17, 2013, Stenson won the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, and the Race to Dubai, becoming the first player to win the FedEx Cup and the Race to Dubai in the same season.

November 2013: Career Best Ranking

On November 3, 2013, Stenson reached a career best 3rd in the OWGR ranking. He finished the 2013 season ranked first on the PGA Tour in greens in regulation, first in ball striking, second among money leaders, third in total driving, fourth in scoring average, and seventh in driving accuracy percentage.

2013: Resurgent Season

In 2013, Stenson had a resurgent season, scoring victories and high finishes. He finished as runner-up at the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield and moved back inside the world's top 20.

2013: Successful Year for Stenson

In 2013, Stenson had a successful year, winning multiple titles and finishing runner-up at the Open Championship. He later won the season-ending titles for the PGA Tour, the FedEx Cup, and the European Tour's Race to Dubai.

May 2014: Career High Ranking

In May 2014, Stenson reached a career high ranking of number two in the world.

2014: Investment in PGA Sweden National

In 2014, Stenson invested in PGA Sweden National, marking his first venture into golf course ownership.

2014: Runner-up Finish

In 2014, Stenson registered a runner-up finish at the BMW International Open.

2015: No Wins but Consistent Performance

In 2015, Stenson did not win any professional tournaments but made the cut in all 16 PGA Tour events he entered and finished as the overall runner-up for the FedEx Cup.

November 2016: Won Race to Dubai

In November 2016, Stenson won the Race to Dubai for a second time and was named European Tour Golfer of the Year for the second time in his career.

2016: Won BMW International Open

In 2016, Stenson became the fourth two-time winner of the BMW International Open, marking his 10th career win on the European Tour.

2016: Ryder Cup Selection and Performance

In 2016, Stenson was automatically selected for the Ryder Cup, earning 2 points for Europe in 5 matches, including a win with Justin Rose and a singles win against Jordan Spieth.

2016: Won the Open Championship

In 2016, Stenson won the Open Championship at Royal Troon for his first major title, shooting a final round of 63 and setting a record for the lowest score in any major championship with an overall score of 264.

2016: Won Silver Medal at Summer Olympics

In August 2016, Stenson represented Sweden at the Summer Olympics and won the silver medal in golf, losing to Justin Rose by two strokes.

August 2017: Won Wyndham Championship

In August 2017, Stenson won the Wyndham Championship, breaking the aggregate scoring record at the tournament.

2018: 2018 Masters Tournament and Ryder Cup

In 2018, Henrik Stenson tied for fifth at the Masters Tournament and finished tied for sixth at the U.S. Open. Despite facing injuries, he had a strong showing at the 2018 Ryder Cup, going 3–0–0 and defeating Bubba Watson in singles.