You couldn’t miss Henrik Stenson at the 2017 PGA Merchandise Show.
No, he was not there in person but his image was.
You couldn’t miss the Champion Golfer Of The Year if you went anywhere near the Callaway exhibits. There he was, front and center on the huge Callaway billboard, planting a kiss on the Claret Jug. To his left, Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed. To his immediate right, winning Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk.
Sorry fellas, center state is for 2016’s major champions.
But that wasn’t the only place you saw him.
Hugo Boss was pretty proud of the guy who wears their clothes and now you’ve got Henrik Stenson Eyewear. Sorry Oakley, the tall Swede’s got his own lenses now.
Over in the Titleist camp, they were giddy that Sweden’s Athlete Of The Year plays their Titleist ball and wears their FootJoy shoes.
Stenson got his 2017 season started two weeks ago in Abu Dhabi. Wasn’t bad either. For a guy who was flying all over the place and arrived the day before the pro-am, he fared quite well, shooting 13-under par, finishing in a tie for eighth, just four shots away from winner Tommy Fleetwood.
This week, Stenson’s a headliner in Dubai even though there is some guy named Tiger Woods heading for the desert.
It’s another solid field for the European Tour. Stenson will be paired the first two day with Sergio Garcia and Tyrrell Hatton. And they will tee off right in front of the Comeback Kid, aka Tiger Woods.
Woods will have Masters champion Danny Willett and young Matthew Fitzpatrick to keep him entertained.
Stenson, now with a tournament under his belt, should give us a better picture of his early form.
For Woods, this is a much better scenario than last week at Torrey Pines. Granted, Woods loves Torrey Pines and had been overpowering there in the prime of his career. But cool weather and wet rough were too much for him and after rounds of 76-72, he didn’t even come close to the cut and simply declared: “I’ve got next week.”
“Next week” is here and the warmer desert climate should be a lot easier for Woods’ surgically repaired back to hold up. He appeared stiff each day, late in the rounds. Six-time major champion turned television analyst Sir Nick Faldo declared Woods’ performance “mixed.”
Like Torrey, Woods has good history in Dubai, he won in 2006 and 2008 but in his last appearance back in 2014, he was an undistinguished 41st.
If Woods wants to be anywhere near the contenders this week, he will have to go low and he may not be ready for the fast lane yet. Willett shot 19-under par to win the giant teapot last year.
So yes, there are players to watch this week. The European Tour, like every other tour, keeps getting deeper in talent.
But it was Stenson who rose above all the young talent last year and considering the fact that his ball-striking is still spot-on, it’s just a matter of what the putter does this week or any week that he plays.
As for Woods, this is hardly do or die.
“I want to be ready for the first weekend in April,” is his standard, state-of-his-game response.
Yes, that goes for everyone else as well.
