Henrik Stenson will head into this week’s World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational with confidence on a high following his joint third-place finish at The Open Championship.
The Swede secured his first top-ten finish in a Major at Royal Birkdale two weeks ago and gave his bid for a European Ryder Cup team berth at Valhalla Golf Club later this year a considerable boost in the process.
“I had been without a top-ten in a Major before that one, so that was nice to get that off my back,” Stenson said after arriving at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.
“And then obviously with the Ryder Cup in mind, it was important to get some good points in to get myself a little bit of breathing space.”
Stenson, the World Number Ten, added: “I've had a lot of sort of, not bad finishes, but it's been between sort of 14 and 25, 30th, around there. I've made lots of cuts, but not really on the ball enough to be top 10.
“So, yeah, it's always nice - especially, I was playing good, but I wasn't playing great.
“It was a slightly different week with the tough conditions that we had. It was really dig deep and try to keep it below knee height, and keep fighting on every putt to try and make par, a slightly different game from what we play normally.
“It gives a nice feeling that you can be up there and contend in a Major even though you're not playing your absolute best.
“Now it feels good. I've had a week off. I'm rested and fresh and ready to take on another challenge.”
Among the biggest challenges, according to Stenson, will come on the greens. He said: “The greens are kind of quick here. It's rolling, I think, 13 or something on the stimp, so they're really nice and smooth and quick, so it's going to be important to be on the right side and have the right pace.”
