No other Swede is even close to competing with Henrik Stenson when it comes to starting in the major at Augusta National.

Jesper Parnevik is second on the blue and yellow list, with seven Masters, while Stenson has not missed a single edition since his debut in 2005.

But there is a risk that the 45-year-old will make his last appearance in the Masters this year.

The form is as if blown away, Stenson has missed six straight qualifying limits and at the same time slipped to 117th place in the world rankings.

That he is in Augusta this week is solely due to the fact that the British Open victory in 2016 guaranteed him games in all majors for five years.

"Never any guarantees"

To be included next year, he must meet some of the qualification criteria, such as a top 12 placement in this year's competition or that he is ranked top 50 in the world at the turn of the year.

- This will be my last year thanks to the British Open and there are never any guarantees that you will get to play a new Masters, if you do not improve the ranking, Stenson says to C More.

He notes that the game has been "really rough" lately, although last week's game at the Texas Open showed a few small glimpses of the old Stenson, before everything crashed with a triple bogey on the last hole.

- In any case, we should think it's fun and not hang our heads, even if the game is not with us really, he says before what looks to be a difficult week to play on the classic course.

"Hangs a little loose"

The preliminary reports speak of hard and fast conditions.

- If there is not a lot of rain, it can probably be one of the harder years we have played, he says to C More.

After a total of 50 rounds of competition at Augusta National, at least Henrik Stenson does not have to ponder too much about how he wants to play the course.

- Game strategy feels quite calm, then it comes down to whether you have something meaningful to play with.

And that's where we hang a little loose, to say the least.

Stenson missed the "cut" in last year's corona-adapted November Masters and has at best been fifth at Augusta, when Patrick Reed won 2018.

MORE GOLF: See when Tavatanakit won his and this year's first major (April 5)

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Thai Patty Tavatanakit won ANA inspiration in California.

Photo: TT.