Henrik Stenson’s victory-clinching eagle from the fairway at the Volvo World Match Play Championship has been voted October Shot of the Month by fans of europeantour.com.
Facing Thongchai Jaidee in the final group stage encounter at London Golf Club, a European Tour Destination, the 38 year old Swede finished with a flourish to secure top spot in the Arnold Palmer Pool with a 2 and 1 victory over the Thai.
Lying 100 yards back from the green at the 368-yard par four 17th, Stenson’s wonderful wedge pitched right over the flag before spinning back into the cup – an effort which won the October poll with a convincing 25 per cent majority of the votes cast through My European Tour.
“He was putting a lot of pressure on me coming in after having been three up with four to play so was getting a little bit more interesting,” said Stenson, who eventually finished runner-up to Finland’s Mikko Ilonen after five days on the International Course in Kent.
“But he didn't hit the best of approaches on 17. So I tried to stick my lob‑wedge in there a little bit past and spin it back and it came out with a nice flight and I knew it was going to be pretty good but it was definitely a bonus that it went in the hole and a spectacular way to finish.”
One lucky winner, who voted for Stenson’s triumphant effort, won a two night stay in a 4* hotel in Dubai plus a round for two on both the Fire and Earth Courses at another European Tour Destination, the stunning Jumeirah Golf Estates, which recently once again hosted the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
Marcel Siem came in second place in the October vote with 18 per cent as the German claimed the silver medal thanks to his tournament-winning, chip-in birdie at the first additional play-off hole at the BMW Masters in Shanghai.
Meanwhile, Oliver Wilson’s spectacular approach into the 16th green en route to an unforgettable maiden European Tour victory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship came in third spot with 16 per cent of the vote.
Stenson will now be in with a chance of winning the Shot of the Year prize for a second year running after joining Charl Schwartzel (January), Victor Dubuisson (February), Miguel Ángel Jiménez (March), Danny Willett (April), Rory McIlroy (May), Robert Rock (June), Sergio Garcia (July), and Jamie Donaldson (August and September) in the annual poll.
