Henrik Stenson offers blunt response to Rory McIlroy's Ryder Cup dig
Henrik Stenson says he 'had a conversation' with Rory McIlroy after the Northern Irishman took a swipe at the LIV Golf player with a Ryder Cup dig.
Henrik Stenson says he 'had a conversation' with Rory McIlroy after the Northern Irishman claimed the Swede being stripped of the European captaincy was 'the best thing to happen' to the 2023 Ryder Cup team.
McIlroy took a shot at Stenson in early December after Luke Donald confirmed he was staying on in the role after the Englishman spearheaded Europe's 16½ - 11½ victory over the United States at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Italy.
Donald, as you know, replaced the former Open champion after he joined the lucrative LIV Golf League.
Officials at the European-based circuit claimed Stenson gave his word he wouldn't bolt.
For his part, Stenson has always maintained he could have combined LIV appearances with leading Europe.
McIlroy's hostility towards LIV has shifted in recent months.
In his most recent comments he admitted he was perhaps 'too judgemental' of the likes of Stenson and former European Ryder Cup stalwarts Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Graeme McDowell for their decisions to leave the establishment.
Although he placed on record his disdain for those 'talking crap' about where they have come from.
"I don't begrudge anyone for going and taking the money and doing something different," he said.
"But don't try to burn the place down on your way out."
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McIlroy also demonstrated perhaps the hatchet wasn't buried when he appeared to take a swipe at Stenson on X.
The Northern Irishman was heavily embroiled in a debate on the platform about the official decision by golf's rulemakers to roll back the ball.
It was around the same time he had called for the rules to be changed to allowed Jon Rahm to compete at next year's Cup.
In a thread, McIlroy wrote: "The best thing to happen to the 2023 Euro Ryder Cup team was Henrik going to LIV!"
That prompted the aforementioned Westwood to sarcastically respond: "Nice to see the season of good will in full swing! Merry Christmas!"
Asked about the dig by the Standard, Stenson said it was 'kind of behind me at this point'.
Although he said: "I had a conversation with Rory at the time, yes."
He added: "I don't feel like Twitter is necessarily the place and the platform to discuss certain things.
"We all make our own choices about where we choose to vent stuff."
"My plans played a role"
Stenson also told the publication because of the time difference he didn't watch too much of the 2023 Ryder Cup.
He was 5,000 miles away in Florida.
Although he said the result didn't surprise him given he feels his preparation played a part.
A common misconception is that Luke Donald selected Edoardo Molinari as one of his vice captains.
Molinari, the elder brother of Francesco, is said to have played a huge role owing to his expertise in the stats department.
In fact it was Stenson who appointed the Italian.
"Clearly the boys did a phenomenal job and racked up a big lead," he added.
"On Sunday, as there always is, one team rallies back a little bit and at one point it looked tighter.
"It ended up with a European win as you thought it would after two days.
"All the plans put in place worked out and paid dividends on home soil."
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