Stenson bounces back from US Open struggles

Henrik Stenson has proven a week is a long time in professional golf by claiming a three-shot win at the BMW International Open in Germany, after withdrawing from last week’s US Open because of poor form.

After shooting a one under 69 in his opening round at Oakmont last week, the Swede was struggling so much in the second round he withdrew when play was suspended because of bad weather.

Fast forward a week and rain would again intervene but this time Stenson was up to the challenge.

Stenson escapes from a bunker and saves his par late in the final round.
PHOTO: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images.

After being unable to start his third round due to torrential rain suspending play, Stenson set himself for a marathon final day. He returned to Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof for an early Sunday morning tee time and shot a bogey-free 67, which included three birdies in his final six holes.

The 40-year-old held the 54-hole lead by a shot from Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and quickly moved a further stroke clear with a birdie at the 1^st hole. But he made his first bogey in 48 holes at the 4th and, after getting that shot back at the next, he bunkered his approach to the 6^th green and could not save his par.

FINAL LEADERBOARD

Stenson holed a clutch par putt at the 7th but a lip-out for par at the 8^th and another dropped shot at the 10^th hole gave his pursuers some hope of catching him.

That hope only lasted a few holes as Stenson made a two-putt birdie at the par-5 13^th hole, which he backed up with two more birdies at the 15^th and 17^th holes to close out the event. His one under 71 was good enough to keep South African Darren Fichardt and Olesen at bay by three strokes and complete a superb comeback from his struggles at Oakmont.

This was Stenson’s second victory in the BMW International Open, having claimed the event in 2006. It was also one place better than his runner-up finish in this tournament for each of the past two seasons.

"It was hairy all the way, it was a tough one,” Stenson said. “I had to dig deep to come back. I didn't play well on the front nine, made a couple of mistakes, got caught out by the wind a few times and missed one or two putts I should have made as well.

“I felt like I was starting to make a bit of a mess of it and then I came back and made the birdies on the par-5s. I made some good putts closing out.

“I really feel like I played well in 2015 and I just couldn't get a trophy. It was a bit hard at times but you've just got to keep on trying and put yourself in position. I did that once again and this time I managed to go all the way.”

Thorbjorn Olesen got a little wayward during the final round and could not keep pace with Stenson. PHOTO: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images.

For Stenson, this was his 10^th European Tour victory and his first since the 2014 DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

Olesen signed for a 73 as he claimed a fifth top-20 finish in six events, while Fichardt's 69 – blotted by a bogey at the 72^nd hole – saw him record his best finish of the year so far.

Victoria’s Marcus Fraser was the best placed of the Australians finishing tied for 21^st. The 37-year-old looked on track for a top-10 finish after getting to seven under through his six holes, but two bogies and a double bogey – offset only by two birdies – on the back nine saw him slip back to five under.