PGA Championship Power Rankings: Top ten at Quail Hollow
Henrik Stenson has largely been something of an afterthought in 2017. That’s not unfair – when you’re one of the best players in the world, but you miss four straight cuts and five in six PGA TOUR starts, that will happen. However, while the results have been lacking for much of the year, the 41-year-old is mounting a big-time comeback late in the season.
After missing the cut at the U.S. Open, Stenson went back to Europe to get ready for the Open Championship. There, he finished tied for 10th at the BMW International Open, 26th at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, and finally tied for 11th at Royal Birkdale. His 65 on Saturday of The Open got him back into contention, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with the likes of Jordan Spieth.
Still, it was a huge step in the right direction, and Stenson kept the momentum going with a strong tie for 17th at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. It would have been easy for someone in Stenson’s position to chalk this up as a lost year, but now he’s hanging on at eighth in the world ranking, 90th in the FedEx Cup and 15th in the Race to Dubai.
Quail Hollow represents a chance to Stenson to validate his season after all the struggles. Arguably one of, if not the best ball striker on the planet, Stenson’s quest for a second major title is very real this week. Look for the big-hitting Swede to make a run in Charlotte.