Henrik Stenson turned pro in the autumn of 1998, but his first full year was 1999. That means he has just embarked on his 25th season. But while 2023 is a milestone year for the Swedish star, he isn’t exactly making a big deal out of it.
“I haven’t given myself a gold watch just yet,” the Majesticks GC co-captain said in his typical wry approach. “But yeah, it’s a little frightening, isn’t it?”
Not sure about the frightening part, but he certainly has packed a lot of success in those first 24 seasons. A major victory (Sweden’s first for a male golfer), an Olympic silver medal, 22 career wins across six different tours/leagues, and no less than 17 appearances representing either his country or Europe in team competitions. And of course, a statement victory in his LIV Golf debut last year at Bedminster.
He already has met the criteria for World Golf Hall of Fame consideration, and he’ll be eligible for inclusion by voters once he turns 50 in 2026. Yet much like his 25th pro anniversary, he hasn’t given it any thought.
“To be honest, I don’t even know what the qualifications are for the Hall of Fame,” Stenson said. “But if I’ve met them, that obviously tells me I played some pretty darn good golf in my career, which I know I have done. My record stands as is, no matter what.”
When he started back in 1999, he couldn’t conceive of that longevity. He remembers those early years, playing with experienced Europeans and asking them how long they had been professionals on tour. He recalled one of the players telling him 14 years.
“You’re thinking, oh man, 14 years. That’s so long,” Stenson recalled. “And now I’m touching 25 years as a pro. Time flies. It’s been incredible. I know I’m kind of on the back nine of my career but hopefully we’ve got some more good years in there.”
Majesticks’ Ian Poulter. LIV Golf
His Majesticks teammates — Englishmen Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sam Horsfield — certainly believe Stenson remains one of LIV Golf’s most dangerous threats. And the set-up of the Majesticks GC team should serve them well in 2023.
Stenson, Westwood and Poulter are co-captains, which means the three veteran European stars will have a stake in the success of the Majesticks, both on and off the course. Their play will help determine how well the team performs inside the ropes. Meanwhile, their business acumen will also come into play as the principal decision-makers signing off on such things as sponsorship opportunities, staffing hires and merchandising.
“We’re kind of part-owners in our team,” Stenson said, “so it becomes natural that we share the captaincy and the duties that go with it.”
The Majesticks are unique in that they are the only team out of the 12 in LIV Golf to have multiple captains. But given the credentials of Stenson, Westwood and Poulter – three players who have extensive Ryder Cup experience – it’s a perfect arrangement for a team that reached the podium three times during the regular season in 2022 but remains in search of their first team victory.
Henrik Stenson on the podium at LIV Golf Bedminster
Cumulatively, the three players have 83 worldwide titles, have participated in 23 Ryder Cups and have won tournaments on basically every tour — including, of course, Stenson’s LIV Golf win as the Majesticks finished second that week at Bedminster. Each has been ranked inside the world’s top 5 at one point, with Westwood a former No. 1. Stenson spent 24 weeks at No. 2 across the 2014-15 calendar.
No other trio of players on any other team bring such similar resumes. And with Poulter having just turned 47, Stenson turning 47 in early April and Westwood turning 50 just three weeks later, no other team can match their experience either. Add the fact that they’ve known each other and played alongside and against each other for decades, and it’s definitely an advantage the Majesticks look to tap into in 2023.
“We’ll have a shared kind of responsibility,” said Stenson, who already has made three starts this season in the Middle East. “If you look at it normally, there’s one captain and three players that kind of play underneath him. The captain is expected to take a bit more responsibility and try and cheer the guys up and bring everyone together. And that’s the whole thing with the team golf that we’ve now entered, you try to get more out of each other than you would individually, to be better together as four players.
“We’ve got some great people involved with our team and we’re all striving to go in the same direction and get the most of our golf games … I think we’ve got a big advantage of being three captains and being such a tight group.”
Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson and Ian Poulter are seen talking in the locker room during day three of the LIV Golf Invitational in Bedminster. Jared C. Tilton/LIV Golf
Before Stenson joined the team, the Majesticks roster was filled with four Englishman. That made them the most popular team at the first tournament, LIV Golf London, in the inaugural season. Some of the Majesticks apparel was sold out by the end of the week.
The arrival of the Swedish great gave the Majesticks a broader European flavour, and the team plan to work hard on extending their fan base. Westwood and Poulter were among the first players to don team logos during competition, and their presence on social media channels also increased the team’s popularity. Stenson and Poulter combined for the team’s promo launch and pick-my-team videos entering this season.
Stenson is intrigued by the opportunity to attract team fans, as well as the potential to increase the charitable aspects for each Majesticks player. He remains committed to his own foundation, and growing the game in Sweden with his junior golf and para-golf endeavours.
“To really incorporate that with the charitable arm within our team, we’ll have both the opportunities and the ideas to do more on that,” he said.
Meanwhile, inside the ropes, Stenson looks forward to LIV Golf League’s landmark season with its full scope of 14 tournaments across the globe. Much like other LIV members, he finds himself looking at leaderboards and checking out the scores of his teammates as opposed to worrying how he stands individually.
He’s intrigued by the dynamics of the team competition, with the top three scores in each round counting on the team leaderboard. The top three teams on the final leaderboard earn bonuses from the $5 million team purse for each event.
Stenson said the competition within a team can be just as engaging as the competition against outsiders.
“You live and breath a little bit on how they are getting on,” he said of his teammates. “If all the other three guys are playing well, then you don’t want to be the fourth one. You kind of have that little friendly rivalry with the team. You don’t want be the worst one out there.”
Stenson was the best of all 48 players at Bedminster, so he’ll be the defending champion there when LIV Golf Bedminster returns August 11-13. He also has the benefit of winning a matchplay event in 2007 at The Gallery South Course, the host site of LIV Golf Tucson. In addition, Poulter and Westwood have both won at Valderrama in Spain, another new LIV Golf venue in 2023. Poulter also has won at Sentosa, the host course for LIV Golf Singapore.
Suffice to say, the Majesticks will have a certain comfort level at multiple LIV Golf venues this year.
“Some golf courses are going to suit myself and my teammates better than others,” Stenson said. “I think Valderrama is definitely one that will suit us.”
In his 25th season, Stenson has earned the right to operate on familiar ground, even as the LIV Golf League he’s now a member of is just in its infancy. He’s still hunting trophies, both team and individual. And the building of Majesticks offers a new challenge, inside and outside the ropes.
It promises to be a busy season for the Swede, but he’s ready for it. And no gold watch needed to keep him on schedule.
