Majesticks GC team co-captain Henrik Stenson was relegated from LIV Golf with another poor showing, as the former Open Champion’s career in the Saudi-funded league potentially comes to an end
Henrik Stenson is on the outs of LIV Golf(Image: Getty Images)
Henrik Stenson, the 2016 Open Championship winner, was relegated from LIV Golf with a 22nd-place showing at Chatham Hills in Indianapolis on Sunday.
Stenson was due to be Team Europe’s captain at the Ryder Cup in 2023, but he forfeited his captaincy when he jumped to LIV in 2022, paving the way for Luke Donald to take over. Stenson’s Majesticks GC co-captains Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, who tied for 17th, narrowly earned enough points to finish out of the relegation zone.
Stenson was not the only marquee name to toe the relegation line in a recently tweaked LIV system. The top-24 finishers in the LIV golf season automatically secure spots next year — this is considered the lock zone. Below them, from 25-48, is the Open Zone, meaning they only stay in the league if their teams re-sign them.
Stenson finished below 49th, meaning he must play his way back into the fold through events like the International Series.
“Yeah, I think it’s been a bad season for us, no question, both as individuals and as a team,” Stenson said after his weekend ended. “As you can tell, we’re all kind of bunched up towards the bottom of the order of merit.
“Yeah, everyone has obviously been a bit unhappy about that position.
“As individuals, we’re in certain positions, and then as a team as well, if we don’t move out of 12th, we’ll play on Wednesday next week… So, we’ve obviously got that to try and sort out tomorrow with a strong finish as a team.
“It would be a nice week to finish off strong here.”
Stenson celebrates his 2016 Open Championship win(Image: Getty Images)
Stenson wasn’t the only player relegated: Andy Ogletree, Anthony Kim, Frederick Kjettrup, Mito Periera, and Yubin Jang were also demoted following poor seasons.
Prior to the 2025 season, LIV Golf captains couldn’t be relegated.
This rule was changed ahead of the season to create more parity; Stenson was the first captain to face the new punishment.
In an interview with the National Club Golfer ahead of the 2025 season, Stenson admitted the quality of his play has dropped in recent years.
“It does feel like it was ‘all those years ago’. I think that’s a good description. I certainly feel an older age, on the older side, reminiscing about tournaments played in 2007 and 2008 and so on,” he said, via NCG.
“That’s where we’re at.
“I’m in the last couple of holes of my career, and I feel very lucky to have had all of those memories and all those good rounds and tournaments to look back at.”
