One-time major winner Henrik Stenson hasn’t played much golf this year, having been relegated from LIV Golf following the 2025 season. The Swede has made only a handful of starts since, but carded a tidy two-under 68 in the first round of The Open Championship on Thursday. In the aftermath of the round, the former LIV golfer finally opened up about his return to the PGA Tour during the press conference. 

“I’m a rookie,” he said when asked about his championship status. “So, from [the] end of August, they removed my ankle bracelet, and I’ll be out of that one-year probation. I played the last LIV event [on the] 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.”

For the unversed, Stenson was among the early names to join the Saudi-backed tour in 2022, taking up a dual role as both a co-captain and competitor for Majesticks GC. In doing so, he had to say goodbye to the European Ryder Cup captaincy. He was also suspended by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour for playing in LIV Golf.

🤔 golf trivia

This Should Be an Easy One, Right?

01/10

What Is the Highest Men's Major Purse This Year?

$20M$21.5M$22M$22.5M

Oops, bogey!

But don’t worry, there’s still the back 9 to prove your high golf IQ

PLAY GOLF TRIVIA

Although he might not have been too aggrieved at the time, as he reportedly made north of $50 million. However, after the 2025 season, Stenson saw himself finish 49th in the league’s individual standings and get relegated. He could not remain as a non-playing captain because the league requires its captains to be competing players, supposedly prompting a return to his old stomping grounds. Yet not everyone followed his response to being relegated.

Unlike Stenson, Anthony Kim opted to climb his way back into LIV’s 2026 season. He was relegated in August 2024 and 2025, but chose against seeking immediate reinstatement on the PGA Tour. Instead, Kim navigated the qualifying LIV Golf Promotions event to return to the top flight. The ordeal of reinstating his position, however, didn’t appeal to Stenson.

During this period, the Swede has already settled more than £1 million in outstanding fines with the DP World Tour and served his suspension. And now, with his PGA Tour suspension about to end in August, Henrik Stenson appears to be optimistic about his future.

Henrik Stenson lays out plans for “13, 14 tournaments”

In 2026, the 50-year-old has participated in just four events. These included the Senior PGA Championship, where he tied for 47th, the U.S. Senior Open, where he stood T11, and a T-20 finish at the Barbados Legends. During the presser, a reporter asked whether he could have played on the DP World Tour but chose not to, and he was quick to admit it.

“I turned 50, as you know, early April, played the Senior PGA in Florida and then the European Legends event the week after,” he said. “So that was kind of getting back into it a little bit.”

He spent some time in Sweden playing his role as a dad, watching his son play golf competitively. But moving forward, Stenson, who won the Open Championship in 2016, has clear plans. 

“Might play something on [the] DP World Tour in August, and then from [the] end of August, I’m playing some Champions events and some bits and pieces on the back end of the schedule,” he added. “So I’ll probably get to 13, 14 tournaments when it’s all said and done at this point. 

“… Could be something in Europe, and there will be one in Asia as well,” he stated. “Even if you’re playing a little bit less of a schedule, you’ve still got to work on those air miles and make sure you’re keeping gold status somewhere.”

That being said, Henrik Stenson appears to be bringing his LIV Golf chapter to a close. And he is looking forward to playing on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.