Henrik Stenson on losing European Ryder Cup captaincy: ‘I don’t feel like I’ve given it up’

BEDMINSTER, N.J. — Henrik Stenson is either naïve, in denial or an unhappy mix of the two.

During a press conference on Thursday ahead of his LIV Golf Invitational Series debut, the 46-year-old Swede said he was disappointed to lose his European Ryder Cup captaincy for the 2023 matches in Italy, but he’s still holding out hope for a resolution.

“I don’t feel like I’ve given it up,” Stenson said. “I made every arrangement possible here to be able to fulfill my captain’s duties, and I’ve had great help here from LIV to be able to do that. And still, the decision was made that I was to be removed.”

In his own statement last week announcing his move to LIV, Stenson also noted how he made “specific arrangements with LIV Golf” to make sure he could “fulfill the obligations of his captaincy.” Maybe he should’ve made arrangements with the European Ryder Cup folks, too.

When the DP World Tour announced Stenson’s dismissal, the statement read, “it has become clear that (Stenson) will not be able to fulfill certain contractual obligations to Ryder Cup Europe that he had committed to prior to his announcement as Captain on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, and it is therefore not possible for him to continue in the role of Captain.”

Despite being asked, Stenson failed to address which section of the “private contract” led to his ousting.

“I believe we’re still all eligible to play,” added Ian Poulter, who joined Stenson for the press conference alongside their fellow Majesticks teammates Lee Westwood and Sam Horsfield. “No decision has officially been made as far as I’m aware.”

“I’m still eligible to play on the (DP World) Tour. I don’t think I’ve been banned from playing any events,” chimed in Westwood, the team captain. “The (BMW) PGA Championship is still my next event on the (DP World) Tour at Wentworth. I’ve had no correspondence on that. That’s an event, a qualifying event, for the European Ryder Cup Team.

“So you know, no decision’s been made on qualification for the team, and my future or any of our futures playing the (DP World) Tour. So that leads me to believe that we’re still eligible to play in it, unless you can tell me otherwise.”

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Westwood hopes the DP World Tour makes a decision sooner rather than later, noting how it’s only fair for everybody, no matter what tour they play on, to know where they stand. Stenson agreed.

“I just expect to be treated fairly going forward depending on what the outcomes are in this whole case,” added Stenson, who had already been planning for the 2023 matches and even made a trip to Rome earlier this year.

Reports broke Wednesday night that Luke Donald would be Europe’s new captain, and Stenson was visibly surprised when asked for his reaction to the news. In that moment, it seemed as if he finally realized his rare opportunity had passed.

“Well, that’s — that’s news to me. If that’s — is that something that’s been announced just as we walked into this room, or … I mean, I’ll wait,” Stenson stammered. “Obviously I’m not in the loop on these things at this point.”

Or perhaps, any point going forward.