Dubai: Race to Dubai leader Henrik Stenson says he’s hanging in there despite his nearest challengers Danny Willett and Alex Noren finishing a stroke ahead of him after round one of the DP World Tour Championship on Thursday.
The Swede carded a level par 72 with just one bogey and a birdie on his front nine, to sit tied for 33rd in the leaderboard.
Meanwhile, Willett and Noren each carded one under par 71 to share tied for 24th.
Although that’s currently not enough for either Willett or Noren to overtake Stenson on the money-list, it’s not the start Stenson would have wanted.
“I’m hanging in there. I’m trying my hardest, don’t you worry,” he said. “It wasn’t my best day. I played very average. The good putts I hit didn’t go in and the bad ones certainly didn’t.
“But no one’s made a big move today,” he added of his rivals Willett, Noren and Rory McIlroy, who finished three over par 75 to sit tied for 55th.
“There’s still a long way to go, it’s a race not a sprint. And I’ve got plenty of time to make up some ground and I’m going to try harder tomorrow.
“Obviously I’m ahead, the other guys have got to play better than I do. But still, I want to finish high up there, because that’s going to make it harder for them.”
Willett, who hit three birdies and a bogey on his outward nine and two bogeys and a birdie on the turn, also acknowledged he had work to do.
“I played really good but missed a lot of chances,” he said. “It was very frustrating the last five or six holes,” – which he finished one over — “I could have pushed myself up there and shot something in the 60s, but there are some good signs, some positive signs. I hit the ball well and rolled it good.
“It’s one of them isn’t it? On the first day it’s always nice to get off to a flyer but if you keep nosing on and shooting better each day up the leaderboard, come Sunday, you’re never going to be too far off.”
