September 20, 2013. Henrik Stenson is convinced for now that a cool mind can deliver better results. The world no. 2 struck three birdies on the opening four holes at East Lake to quickly retain control over Tour Championship by Coca-Cola on day two. Stenson leads at 10-under.
American shot 4-under 66 to build a four-shot lead over No. 3 Adam Scott in the over six-hole stretch to maintain lead.
He looked much changed man from last Monday at Conway Farms, not only on his scorecard but also between the ears. His injured wrist also seems recovered.
[highlight] I stayed very level-headed — kept the head on, both myself and drivers, and played a great round of golf [/highlight]
“I just needed to realize the world is a good place again,” Stenson said.
“I really knew I had to be in a good frame of mind coming out there if I wanted to play good golf this week,” he said. “As some of you noticed, I wasn’t that on Monday when I finished up in Chicago. So it was a good turnaround mentally. I stayed very level-headed — kept the head on, both myself and drivers, and played a great round of golf.”
Stenson was playing his seventh tournament in 10 weeks when the BMW Championship was extended a day by rain. He smashed his driver so hard into the ground on the final hole that the head snapped off, and then he took out his frustrations on his wooden locker at Conway Farms.
FedEx Cup leader Tiger Woods didn’t make a thing.
WoodsWoods was headed toward the best round of the day, 5-under through 13 holes, when he made double bogey on the 14th, had a triple bogey on the 17th and wound up with a 71. He was 14 shots behind.
Stenson, the hottest player in golf over the last three months, and Scott only have to win the TOUR Championship to lock up the FedEx Cup and the $10 million prize. Even more is at stake for Scott, who would be a strong candidate for PGA TOUR player of the year if he were to win this week.
“There haven’t been too many guys who have been in the position the last 12 years to even warrant thinking about it,” Scott said. “So it’s an opportunity that might not come along too often. I’m going to be working hard to try and make my case for it.”
Stenson was at 10-under 130 going into the third round and might be playing a course far less firm. The forecast is for rain most of day, and the starting times have been moved up to Saturday morning with hopes of getting it in.
