DUBAI // It is a slightly contradictory nickname, especially for a player who lived in the UAE for a decade and has done well in desert climes on multiple continents over the years.
But given his country of origin, wraparound sunglasses and a mostly stoic exterior, Henrik Stenson’s playing partner and primary opponent heading into today’s final round of the DP World Tour Championship referred to the Swede as the “Ice Man”.
After another hot day in the sun, Stenson seemed to approve.
“If I can live up to it, it works for me,” Stenson said.
For the second year in a row, he shows no signs of melting.
Seeking to become the first player to twice win the DP World Tour Championship, not to mention claim the title two years in succession, Stenson fired a four-under 68 and will be in the final group today with Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello.
At 14 under, both players are three shots clear of the field, have won European Tour events in Dubai in the past and each loves teeing it up in the desert.
Otherwise, Cabrera-Bello knows he is facing a daunting challenge against the man who finished 25 under at the same venue last year.
“Trying to beat the Ice Man,” said Cabrera-Bello, who has two tour wins.
“I would not compare myself to Henrik, but anything can happen. I’ve done it before, so why not tomorrow?”
The pair arrived at the top of the scoreboard in altogether different style.
Stenson lasered the ball around Jumeirah Golf Estates and found an astounding number of greens in regulation. Last year, he hit 68 of 72 greens. This week, through three rounds, he has found 47 of 54.
Cabrera-Bello should have rented a dune buggy. As solid as the Swede has been from tee to green, the Spaniard was forced to conjure up so many magical shots around the greens, he was downright giddy afterwards. He only used 21 putts.
“It’s probably been the best short-game day of my life,” he said.
Anything could happen, but a shoot-out between Cabrera-Bello and Stenson seems a reasonable expectation.
Cabrera-Bello shot 64 and 65 in the past two rounds, after a 73 on Day 1, while Stenson has recorded 12 consecutive rounds in the 60s at Jumeirah.
For those who understand the occasionally twisted world of golf psychology, Stenson read the latter in the morning newspaper and said he had one thought in mind as he played the first hole: “Don’t screw up the streak.”
He did not and the gap between the pair at the top was surprising, considering that the leader board was packed with movement all day. Some of it downwards.
World No 1 Rory McIlroy was tied for the lead with Stenson when he found trouble off the tee at the par-4 12th. It took three shots to reach the green, then three more swipes to get the ball in the hole.
At a venue where he won both the tournament title and seasonal points race two years ago, McIlroy recorded the wrong kind of Dubai double, making another double-bogey on the next hole to leave him four off the lead.
He had three double-bogeys over his first 22 career rounds at Jumeirah.
“That’ll kill any score,” Stenson said.
Said McIlroy: “I need to be aggressive tomorrow. I need to go at pins, I need to hit it close.”
Others could relate to his pain. Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen was sitting pretty in third place as he played the 18th, whereupon he hit two shots into the faux creek that meanders through the hole.
His double-bogey dropped him into a share of fourth place with McIlroy, Victor Dubuisson and rookie Tyrrell Hatton.
“Two balls in the water, it was bad,” Olesen said, moments after signing his card.
“It’s a bad taste in my mouth. There are a lot of positives, but right now, it’s not the best.”
Stenson, on the other hand, has been the best at Jumeirah for two years running. Though he has amassed nine top-10 finishes and lost in a play-off in Munich, he has not recorded a victory. He also has never defended a title.
“It would be very pleasing [to win],” said Stenson, who is 54 under in his last 11 trips around Jumeirah.
“It’s been a solid year, but I don’t have a trophy yet. It would be a very strong statement on how I played this year.”
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