Henrik Stenson Wins Golf Writers Trophy

It's the second time the Open Champion has won the trophy

Henrik Stenson Open champion Henrik Stenson wins golf writers trophy
Henrik Stenson Open champion
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Henrik Stenson wins Golf Writers Trophy in a year that saw him win The Open, the Race to Dubai, Olympic Silver and the BMW International Open

Henrik Stenson Wins Golf Writers Trophy

2016 Champion Golfer of the Year Henrik Stenson has won the Golf Writers Trophy for the second time.

The award is voted by members of Association of Golf Writers and is awarded to the European that has made the year’s most outstanding contribution to golf.

Having claimed his first major at the Open at Royal Troon by winning a thrilling duel with Phil Mickelson, Stenson won this award with an overwhelming majority in the voting, despite facing stiff competition from the Masters champion Danny Willett, Olympic Gold Medallist Justin Rose and Alex Noren, who collected four European Tour titles in 2016.

Henrik Stenson: A golfing exhibition

henrik stenson wins golf writers trophy

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The 40-year-old from Gothenburg also won the BMW International Open at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof, Pulheim in Germany three weeks before his Open triumph.

Stenson claimed eleven other top ten finishes in 2016 and secured the European Tour’s Race to Dubai for the second time. He was also the silver medalist behind Rose at the Rio Olympics.

“It is always a great honour to receive the Association's award,” said Stenson. “We talk about receiving recognition from your colleagues and your peers but in this instance it's great to be receiving that recognition from some of the most knowledgeable media in the sport.

“So it's wonderful to be chosen as their Golfer Writers Association Trophy winner and I feel very honoured to win the award for a second time in my career,” added Stenson, who first won this award in 2013.

Henrik Stenson wins Golf Writers Trophy

“It's been a fantastic season for me winning my first Major at Royal Troon, winning the BMW International in Germany, winning a Silver medal at the Rio Games and finishing first again in the Race to Dubai.

“The manner I went about this year was very pleasing from start to finish. I know that the award is presented just before the 2017 Open, so it's going to be very nice being present at Royal Birkdale next July to relive all those great memories of what I achieved at Troon.

Henrik Stenson wins Golf Writers Trophy

“It's been a great year for European golf and the European Tour and even though we didn't bring back the Ryder Cup, I look back knowing that winning the Open helped so much in winning the Race to Dubai.

“And while Danny has to be congratulated for winning the Masters, I again have to thank the Association of Golf Writers in voting me as their Golfer of the Year.

Henrik Stenson wins Golf Writers Trophy

“I'll never grow tied of being weighed down with trophies!”

AGW Chairman, BBC Golf Correspondent Iain Carter, said: “Not only is Henrik an outstanding golfer, but he is one of the game’s finest ambassadors.  I think it is fair to say a great many of the the golf writers were thrilled that he secured his long awaited first major title and this was reflected in their voting.

“He won the Claret Jug in fantastic style by beating Phil Mickelson in an epic duel that left the rest of the field as nothing more than bit part players.  It was a contest that will long be remembered as one of the greatest Open performances ever witnessed.”

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV