Henrik Stenson is looking to break a 14-year drought as he begins his 2019 playing commitments at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA.
While the Swede has 11 European Tour titles to his name, victory at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club has eluded him, with his best finishes coming in 2006 and 2008, when he was runner-up.
He has top-10 finishes in his last three appearances as he looks to build on his history to start the new year with a win.
‘Always feels good to come back to this part of the world, having made it my home for quite a few years in the past, and this is the way I’ve started up my season every year I think for, which edition is this, the 14th?
‘It’s kind of the same old, but it’s great to be back. Great course this week. Great weather. I’ve got part of my team here. It’s a good way to kick off the season for sure. I feel like I’ve had the same answers and I’ve had the same questions for the last couple of times. It’s always tough winning golf tournaments.‘
Stenson believes he has made the United Arab Emirates his ‘home’ as he gets ready to tee off for the first time in 2019 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA.
The 11-time European Tour event winner is opening the year at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club for the 14th successive season, and the Swede is determined to claim his maiden victory at the event.
‘Motivation is a big part and feeling fresh and ready to go is always important ingredients in playing well, and a good track record is also something that can help.
‘We’ve got two seconds and a third, and nice little bunch of top tens other than that. We’ll try and make it happen this year.’
He tees it up with World No 3 Dustin Johnson and South Africa’s 2010 Open Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen.
All three men have finished runners-up in Abu Dhabi, and will hope to go one better when they tee off at 9:30am.
