Three days after smashing his driver and a locker in frustration, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson had 64 reasons to be far more cheerful after the first round of the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
Stenson covered the front nine at East Lake in five under par and came home in 34 to lead the 30-man field aiming to win the first prize of $1.4 million and the $10 million bonus for winning the FedEx Cup by one shot.
The 37-year-old holed from seven feet at the second, eight inches on the fourth and four feet on the fifth, before a brilliant tee shot on the par-three sixth left him with another tap-in birdie.
The world number six then holed from eight feet on the seventh to make it four birdies in succession, but failed to birdie the par-five ninth after a poor shot from a greenside bunker.
A birdie at the par five 15th was followed by his only bogey of the day at 16, before a stunning tee-shot at the last, a par three, left him with another tap-in for a 64 that was one better than Adam Scott and nine better than playing partner Tiger Woods.
Frustrations
Iit was a stark contrast to the end of Stenson's rain-delayed final round in the BMW Championship on Monday, when he took out his frustrations at a closing 74 on his driver, smacking it so hard on the ground on the 18th that its head flew off.
He then damaged his locker at Conway Farms, with his agent RJ Nemer confirming to Golf.com that Stenson was responsible and saying the incident was the result of a “frustration that manifested itself,” adding that Stenson had paid for the damage and “apologised to the appropriate parties.”
Stenson is one of five players who control their own destiny in Atlanta, with Ti Woods, Scott, Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar also knowing they will claim the $10m bonus should they win the Tour Championship.
However, Woods will need something special after opening with a 73.
Americans Billy Horschel and Steve Stricker were a shot adrift of Scott on four under.
Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia were on two under while former world number one Luke Donald, who scraped into the event by finishing fourth in Chicago on Monday, was level par.
“I thought the conditions were great,” Johnson told reporters. “The course is in perfect condition, not a lot of wind.
“It was swirling a little bit, but it kind of plays the same as it always does. You drive it on the fairway, you can attack the golf course, but you hit it in the rough, it’s really tough.”
