Henrik Stenson has equalled another record by being named The Race to Dubai Golfer of the Month for November following his win in the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai with which he secured Number One honours in The 2013 Race to Dubai.
Stenson, who receives an engraved alms dish and a Jeroboam of Moët & Chandon champagne, becomes only the second player in the European Tour Golfer of the Year’s 29 year history to win three monthly awards in a single season.
Ian Woosnam won the panel’s vote three times in 1987 when he was also named The European Tour Golfer of the Year after finishing Number One with five tournament wins in addition to capturing the World Cup of Golf for Wales with David Llewellyn.
Stenson, who won the award in August and September, maintained his lead in The 2013 Race to Dubai with a tie for seventh in the Turkish Airlines Open by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism then the following week made history on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, UAE, when with scores of 68-64-67-64 he won the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai with a record 25 under par total of 263 by a record-equalling six shot margin ahead of Ian Poulter.
The 37-year-old from Gothenburg, Sweden, then celebrated winning The 2013 Race to Dubai, for which he received the Harry Vardon Trophy, and also a remarkable transatlantic double-double following his US PGA TOUR Championship and FedexCup triumphs.
Stenson said: “It’s very pleasing to win the award again. I have to say I am a little surprised to have beaten Victor because of his win in Turkey and then backing it up with a good performance in Dubai but that is not for me to judge. I am certainly not complaining.
“It is very flattering to win these awards and I suppose to win three of them in the same season just shows once again that this has been a dream year for me.
“Winning the DP Word Tour Championship the way I did to win The Race to Dubai overall was very special obviously, and to be the only guy to have won The Race to Dubai and FedEx Cup in the same year is something I might never get the chance to do again so I was so happy to be able to take that chance.”
The Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Year Panel, comprising members of the Association of Golf Writers as well as commentators from television and radio, selected Stenson, highly commended Victor Dubuisson, winner of the Turkish Airlines Open presented by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, acknowledged the European Tour victories of Morten Orum Madsen (South African Open Championship), and Charl Schwartzel (Alfred Dunhill Championship) and the worldwide successes of Luke Donald (Dunlop Phoenix, Japan), Ricardo Gonzalez (Abierto del Litoral, Argentina), Liang Wen-Chong (Resorts World Manila Masters) and Rory McIlroy (Emirates Australian Open), and praised Ian Poulter for his month-long grandstand finish on The 2013 Race to Dubai in which he finished runner-up and Thomas Björn who came within a whisker of winning the ISPS Handa World Cup of Golf.
James Haddock, Golf Correspondent of Sky Sports, said: “The pressure on Henrik to continue to perform at the business end of the year was immense. First he showed his resilience to keep his nose in front in Turkey then the sublime way he went through the week in Dubai was hugely impressive especially given his wrist injury and the mental pressure involved.”
Derek Lawrenson, Golf Correspondent of the Daily Mail and Chairman of the Association of Golf Writers, said: “Two great candidates in November during another stellar month when European golf again came to the fore worldwide with many other superb performances. Victor Dubuisson deservedly won in Turkey, fighting back after losing his lead, but the panel unanimously voted for Henrik following a quite outstanding performance in Dubai.”
Chris Wood (January), Darren Fichardt (February), Marcel Siem (March), Raphaël Jacquelin (April), Matteo Manassero (May), Justin Rose (June), Graeme McDowell (July) , Henrik Stenson (August, September and November) and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño (October) will all be among the candidates being considered for The 2013 Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Year.
