Henrik Stenson, stripped of the European Ryder Cup captaincy after joining the LIV Golf circuit, shook off the controversy to win the LIV Golf Invitational Bedminster on Sunday.
“I guess we can agree I played like a captain,” said the 46-year-old Swede in a dig at Ryder Cup Europe after he carded a two-under-par 69 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
His 11-under total gave him a two-shot victory over Matthew Wolff and Dustin Johnson in the 54-hole, shotgun start event.
Stenson was sacked as Europe’s Ryder Cup captain last week after signing with the Saudi-backed LIV circuit.
The circuit has provoked the wrath of the established DP World Tour and US PGA Tours as it lures players with massive purses and reportedly in some cases with signing bonuses worth tens of millions.
“It’s been a busy 10 days and I’m extremely proud that I managed to focus as well as I did,” said Stenson, who raked in the $4-million individual winner’s prize from the $20m purse as well as a share of the $1.5m awarded for his Majesticks team’s runner-up finish in the team event.
Former world No 1 Johnson, who birdied the last to claim his share of second with a three under 68 for nine under, captained the winning 4 Aces team. Wolff carded a seven-under 64.
Branden Grace was the highest-placed South African, finishing on two under after a third-round 68 for a share of 13th.
The circuit, which on Friday confirmed that it had signed up two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, now takes a break until the fourth of seven events in its inaugural season, in Boston on 2-4 September.
© Agence France-Presse
