Dubai: Henrik Stenson was amazed to still have a fan after hitting a woman with a wayward shot on the 13th.
While being treated by paramedics she apparently kept saying the Swede was her favourite player.
“I didn’t expect her to say that after being hit,” said the Race to Dubai leader, who is now tied for 17th at three under par, after rounds of 72 and 69.
“It was very unfortunate, I flared my five-iron right and the next thing, I see it go into the crowd and hit someone.
“Unfortunately I hit the lady and she went down, but I had some reports later in the round that she was doing okay, and of course, you get shocked when you get hit like that, and it’s painful.
“I’m just making sure we get her details so that I can send her something nice.”
The Swede also had his ball stolen on the second hole.
“I don’t know who it was, but I hit it right on two and then we heard someone had picked it up.
“I don’t know why anyone at a golf tournament would pick the ball up from inside the ropes.
“That seems weird to me, but it happens, unfortunately. I had to call for a ruling and then we estimated where it was supposed to be.”
Stenson’s Race to Dubai rivals are all still close to the Swede, but in their current positions none of them are going to overtake him in the money-list.
Compatriot Alex Noren is four under par after hitting 71, 69, and sits tied for 14th in the leaderboard.
England’s Danny Willett is also on three under par at tied for 17th after hitting 71 and 70.
And Rory McIlroy is one under par tied for 29th after bouncing back from a 75 — his worst score in 30 rounds here — with a 69.
“Mentally yesterday [Thursday] I was still on holiday,” said McIlroy, the defending champion, who has won twice here in 2012 and 2015. “I wasn’t really with it, wasn’t at the races, but I felt a bit better out there today.
“It was just a bad day. I sort of turned it around today so hopefully I can improve again over the weekend. If I can keep improving each and every day, then I might not be too far away at the end of the week.”
