After becoming the first male golfer from Scandinavia to win a Major at The 145th Open Championship, Henrik Stenson has – somewhat unsurprisingly – been named the Hilton European Tour Golfer of the Month for July.
Stenson also scooped the June award following his victory in the BMW International Open, and his incredible performance at Royal Troon in mid-July, when he went toe-to-toe with American Phil Mickelson to produce one of the greatest battles in modern Major history, made him the obvious winner in July.
Both Stenson and Mickelson manufactured a level of performance which blew away the rest of the field at Troon, with Mickelson lipping out on the 18th green in round one for a stunning 62 which would have set a new record for the lowest score in Major championship history.
Stenson went on to match the record of 63 in an epic final round, during which the 40 year old Swede was both irresistible and irrepressible as he eventually saw off Mickelson’s challenge with a brilliant birdie on the final hole to win the Claret Jug by three shots.
Sweden’s Alex Noren, winner of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, took second place in the July competition, with Thongchai Jaidee, who won the 100th Open de France, voted in third.
Stenson, who receives 50,000 Hilton HHonors points for winning a second Golfer of the Month award this season, said: “I don’t think I will ever get tired of my Open victory being recognised, so thanks to Hilton for another Golfer of the Month Award – I guess it might have been a little surprising if I hadn’t won this one!
“Winning The Open was obviously a dream come true for me, but there is such a busy schedule right now that it will probably be some point at the end of the year before I get to reflect on what I achieved. There have been so many messages of thanks and awards since Troon and I really appreciate them all.”
Comprising members of the golfing media, the Hilton Golfer of the Month panel had a very easy decision to make to decide the July winner, but there was some debate over second and third place. In the end, the vote went to Noren for his win at Castle Stuart, as well as finishing eighth behind Jaidee at Le Golf National.
Jock MacVicar, Golf Writer for the Scottish Daily Express newspaper, said: “The only debate in the July competition was between second and third place, and Alex Noren just pipped Thongchai for that extra bit of consistency. Their respective victories in France and Scotland were equally impressive.
“But the man of the month was Henrik Stenson. I am not sure there is much left to say about Henrik’s performance at Troon. Stenson and Mickelson produced one of the great duels of the modern era to make it an unforgettable Open Championship, and it seemed fitting after such a brilliant career that Henrik was the first male player from Scandinavia to win a Major.”
Stenson’s Hilton HHonors Diamond Elite Status provides a host of fantastic benefits at 4,600 hotels within the Hilton portfolio around the world, including complimentary access to Executive Floors, late checkouts, 48-hour room guarantees and, pending availability, complimentary room upgrades.
Hilton, the Official Hotel Supplier to The European Tour, is the Official Sponsor of the European Tour Golfer of the Month award, which recognises and rewards the best performances of European Tour members each month.
Together with his fellow Golfer of the Month winners, Stenson will be considered for the European Tour Golfer of the Year award, which will be announced after the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
