Sweden's most successful men's golfer of all time is currently going through a difficult period.

Before this golf season, Stenson has not managed to find the form that once made him world number two and British Open champion.

The 44-year-old did not have high hopes for the big competition "Players" - "the fifth major" at TPC Sawgrass.

But he had hardly counted on the total collapse that the first round offered.

Bottom record

Stenson spread the balls like never before - and finished the round with 13 strokes over par.

At the same time, it erased his previous bottom note of 83 strokes, which he had to write on the scorecard twice, including in The Masters 2011.

After bogeys on the second and fourth, the big landslide began on holes 6 and 7. On both holes, Stenson hit the shot to the left, but there was water and the Swede was forced to strike.

There was a double bogey on the sixth and a triple bogey on the seventh.

Stenson looked listless when it then also became bogey on the ninth - after hitting a short shot into a bunker - and he was able to sum up 44 shots after the first nine holes.

In the final nine, Stenson offered two birdies - holes 10 and 16 - but also found the water again on hole 12.

And on the iconic 17th short hole with the green on an island, the Swede - of course - managed to hit another ball in the water.

It was a new triple bogey and after 85 strokes, Stenson can possibly take comfort in the fact that it should not be able to get worse during Friday's second round.

Soon Masters

But time is short if Henrik Stenson will have time to find the form for this year's first major, The Masters at Augusta National, in just four weeks.

Alex Norén also did not have a fun opening round in Players - 78 strokes after a final triple bogey.

And the competition's third Swede, Henrik Norlander, was three over par after twelve holes.

Leading then did the Spaniard Sergio García and the Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick, both five under par.

The winner of The Players Championship, which Henrik Stenson won in 2009, receives a victory check of 2.7 million dollars (approximately 23 million kroner).

ARCHIVE: Stenson is not ashamed after the latest Masters start (13 November 2020)

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Henrik Stenson got off to a decent start at the US Masters at classic Augusta and went around 71 strokes, one under par.

Photo: TT