Henrik Stenson 'pretty confident' LIV players will get green light for all 2023 majors

Henrik Stenson, the 2016 Open champion, feels “pretty confident” that LIV Golf players will get the green light to go head-to-head with golfers from the traditional tours in all four majors this year.

In a recent announcement, Augusta National said it would not be imposing a ban on LIV Golf members for The Masters in April despite chairman Fred Ridley expressing “disappointment” over the launch of the Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway circuit having created a divide in the game.

“Our focus is to honour the tradition of bringing together a preeminent field of golfers this coming April,” said Ridley of a decision that allows former winners Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel, Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed to tee up in the season’s opening major.

The situation for the other three majors has still to be announced, though Martin Slumbers, the R&A chief executive, said in October that qualifying criteria for the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool would “go public in January/February”.

Henrik Stenson, who opened with a promising four-under-par 68, is among the LIV Golf players competing on the DP World this this week in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.

Stenson, who beat Mickelson in a thrilling title duel to get his hands on the Claret Jug at Royal Troon, was asked after completing his opening round – a pleasing four-under-par 68 – in the Abu Dhabi Championship at Yas Links if he felt confident about the R&A, as well as the USGA and PGA of America, following Augusta National’s lead this this year.

“Pretty confident,” replied the Swede before saying of The Masters: “If you ask me, I think it's the right decision. I guess The Open was kind of hinting of it before Augusta because of the timelines and everything.

“But I think with everything that's gone on, the majors are in a position where they are going to get everyone in the top of the game playing together, and I think that's what we want to have, obviously as many weeks as you can on a normal basis.

“It's never really been that way because players have been spread out along different tours and around the world. But the major championships are the ones where everyone kind of gets together, and you'll see who is playing the best golf and they are going to get that attention, and rightfully so.”

LIV Golf members have already been banned from playing on the PGA Tour, with a court case pending over their fate on the DP World Tour. “Absolutely,” added Stenson of the majors potentially becoming even more unique if that circuit also becomes out of bounds for the so-called rebels.

The 46-year-old is making his first appearance on the DP World Tour since he was effectively stripped of Europe’s Ryder Cup captaincy after joining LIV Golf, with Luke Donald being appointed as his replacement.

“No,” said Stenson when asked if he had any regrets. “I made my decision and obviously Ryder Cup Europe made theirs. Yeah, it's not great, but it is what it is. The Ryder Cup has been a huge part of my career. I wish Luke all the best with the team going forward and we'll see where we all end up with this.”

Had the thought of playing in this year’s Ryder Cup crossed his mind? “Stranger things have happened, and more irony than that has happened as well, I guess, so to be continued,” he said, smiling.