Saudi International: Power ranking the top 10 at Royal Greens

KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, SAUDI ARABIA - JANUARY 29: A general view of the first tee during a practice round prior to the Saudi International at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club on January 29, 2019 in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) /

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY 24: Henrik Stenson of Sweden takes his third shot on hole six during Day One of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 24, 2019 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /

Some of Henrik Stenson’s best golf has come at desert layouts, though you wouldn’t know it by a couple of missed cuts in the United Arab Emirates to start off his 2019. He ended 2018 with a pair of solo fourth-place finishes and four straight top-30s, so he doesn’t have to look to far back to try to regain his rhythm.

A little rest the past couple weekends for the 42-year-old Swede can’t hurt as this is his third start in as many weeks and fifth since the start of December.

Stenson should be able to give himself plenty of birdie chances around Royal Greens. He ranked first on the PGA Tour in 2017-18 in both driving accuracy (75.19 percent) and greens in regulation (73.51 percent).

The putter let him down at times, but perhaps being in the same boat of seeing this week’s greens for the first time will be a neutralizer.

It’s hard to believe, but Stenson hasn’t won since the 2017 Wyndham Championship. That ought to change sooner or later and this week’s Saudi International sets up well for his playing style.

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