Sweden’s Henrik Stenson has added yet more accolades to his impressive haul of awards from last season when he was recognised in his homeland on Monday night as he collected both of the top honours at the prestigious Swedish Sports Awards.
The European Tour Golfer of the Year was named Male Sports Athlete of the Year and also became the first male golfer to win the Radiosportens Jerringpris, an award for the top sporting achievement of the year as voted for by the Swedish public.
Stenson, who returns to action in this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, flew back to Stockholm to attend the Swedish Sports Awards and admitted that the two accolades he collected would help to further raise the profile of golf in his home country.
“It was a big honour to be nominated and to walk away with both awards was fantastic,” he said. “It was great to get back to Stockholm, albeit briefly, and to see all of the other sports stars and catch up with everyone.
“Its great recognition for golf in Sweden to win these two awards and it shows the progression the sport is making. I’m very thankful to all of the golf fans for voting for me and to be honoured in my own country is very special.”
Robert Karlsson is the only other golfer to have collected the Male Sports Athlete of the Year award after he became the first Swedish golfer to be crowned European Tour Number One in 2008 while Annika Sorenstam was awarded the Radiosportens Jerringpris in 1995 and 2003 in the only previous occasions golf has been recognised with this honour.
Stenson’s awards are the latest in a line of end of season honours collected by the World Number Three, who completed an unprecedented transatlantic double by capturing the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai and The Race to Dubai on The European Tour International Schedule following his success in the Tour Championship and FedExCup on the US PGA TOUR.
