Henrik Stenson has been named as the European Captain for the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy from September 25 – October 1, 2023.
The 2016 Open Champion has enjoyed an impressive Ryder Cup career, helping Europe to victory in three of five of his appearances as a player before going on to bring his experience to the role of Vice Captain in the 2020 edition of the biennial contest.
The 45 year old becomes the first Swede to be named European Captain and will be aiming to emulate the memorable European performance in the last home match at Le Golf National in Paris, France in 2018, and reclaim the Ryder Cup following victory for the United States at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, last September.
As a player, Stenson made his Ryder Cup debut for Europe at The K Club in 2006, when he secured the winning point in a dominant 18½ – 9½ victory. He was also a member of the victorious teams in 2014 at Gleneagles, Scotland, and 2018 at Le Golf National, in France, as well as being part of the European Teams in both 2008 and 2016.
The Swede has collected 17 titles worldwide and famously became Sweden’s first male Major winner when he triumphed in The 145th Open at Royal Troon. Stenson lifted the Claret Jug in 2016 after he recorded a final round 63 in a thrilling battle with Phil Mickelson, which drew comparisons with the legendary ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at nearby Turnberry in 1977.
Stenson was selected as Europe’s 2023 Ryder Cup Captain by a five-man selection panel comprising the three most recent European Ryder Cup Captains – Pádraig Harrington, Thomas Bjørn and Darren Clarke – as well as the Chief Executive of the European Tour group, Keith Pelley, and DP World Tour Tournament Committee Chairman David Howell.
“I am absolutely thrilled and delighted to be the European Ryder Cup Captain – it is a huge honour and I was humbled to get the call confirming the news” said Stenson.
“I would like to thank the selection panel for believing in me and will say to them, and every European golf fan, that I will do everything in my power and leave no stone unturned in the quest to get the Ryder Cup back in European hands.”
“The Ryder Cup is golf, and sport, at its very best. I got goosebumps every time I pulled on a European shirt as a player and that will be magnified in the role of Captain. While it is great for me personally, it is also great for my country and all the players from Sweden who have played for Europe with such distinction since Joakim Haeggman became the first in 1993.”
“When I started out as a professional golfer, it was beyond my wildest dreams that, one day, I would follow in the footsteps of legends of the game such as Seve and be the European Ryder Cup Captain. But today proves that, sometimes, dreams do come true.”
