Relegated LIV Golf star primed to make Tour comeback
Relegated LIV Golf star primed to make Tour comeback
Kylee Hansen Sat, August 8, 2026 at 6:53 AM UTC
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Henrik Stenson is playing on the DP World Tour after being relegated from LIV Golf (Image: Getty Images)
Henrik Stenson stepped away from LIV Golf this year and is set to make a highly anticipated comeback on the DP World Tour next week.
The 2016 Open Championship winner played a reduced schedule in 2026, spending time in Sweden fulfilling his role as a father and watching his son compete, while the now 50-year-old also made appearances at the Senior PGA Championship and the U.S. Senior Open earlier this month.
Stenson has been absent from both his home tour and the European circuit since a T-8 finish at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January 2023. It comes as Phil Mickelson's teammate breaks silence on LIV Golf absence.
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At that time, the Swedish golfer was the center of attention, having been stripped of his Ryder Cup captaincy just months earlier following his decision to join LIV Golf in the summer of 2022.
Within three months of his Dubai appearance, Stenson became one of several prominent LIV players to relinquish their DP World Tour memberships in order to avoid further sanctions from the tour's headquarters at Wentworth.
Henrik Stenson in action (Image: undefined)
Then, approximately two years later, his stint with the Saudi-backed circuit came to a close after he was relegated from the league.
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He subsequently made his way back to the DP World Tour, and is also eligible to compete on the PGA Tour Champions having reached the age of 50.
"They removed my ankle bracelet, and I'll be out of that one-year probation [from LIV], Stenson said. " Stenson said. "I played the last LIV event 24th of August last year. So I'm kind of reinstated as a member, and I'm free to play PGA TOUR sanctioned tournaments from the 25th of August this year."
The exact number of events he intends to compete in remains uncertain. He indicated it will likely be somewhere between five and seven events toward the latter part of the schedule, with the possibility of more should he perform strongly throughout the season.
"I feel like I might give myself a window, say 15th of February until the 15th of October, that's when I play my golf," said Stenson. "I certainly enjoy having an off-season.
"I think it's good for me, and at this stage of my life and my career, I want to have some time at home as well. I can see myself kind of finding that window what suits me, and I'll play hopefully some good golf and good tournaments within that."
His LIV break and PGA Tour suspension gave him the opportunity to spend additional time with his family.
"I needed a break," said Stenson. "I feel like I was pretty worn out both physically and mentally. I've done this for 28 years now, playing two tours, one season kind of tagging onto the next. Being in season ... not playing every week, as you know, but being in season for near 10 1/2 months throughout the year, and I guess it gets to a point where the body says how about a little break?".
Source: “AOL Sports”
