The 2016 Open champion, who turned 50 last month, has not played in a competitive setting since being relegated from the breakaway LIV league last August.

But back home in Orlando, Stenson has been quietly plotting this next chapters of his career and is making a comeback this week with his senior debut at the $3 million Senior PGA Championship at the Concession Golf Club near Tampa. A week later, he will compete on the Staysure Legends Tour’s Barbados event, hosted at Apes Hill by the former world No.1 and Masters champion Ian Woosnam.

Stenson is now eligible for Legends Tour and DP World Tour events after settling his outstanding fines with Wentworth HQ back in November. He has recovered the card that he had given up in 2023 due to mounting fines – which had been upheld by an arbitration panel – for playing in LIV events without a release from the DP World Tour.

“It’s the longest competitive break in my 28-year career,” Stenson says. “The previous longest was Covid – about four and a half months. It will be a long break, but I’d hope 28 years of experience means you can pick up where you left off. 

“I’m in a position now where I can fully control my schedule and play how much or how little I want, you know, going forward, and I’m really pleased to be in that situation at this stage in my career. 

“And if I want to play more golf once I get going here again, I have the option to do that. And if I feel like I want to play a little bit less than previous years, then I can do that as well.”

Stenson joined LIV in 2022 as a co-captain of LIV’s Majesticks GC team alongside Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, but was dumped after being dramatically ousted into the Drop Zone by Poulter during last season’s final individual event at Chatham Hills in Indiana.

He was removed as European Ryder Cup captain and replaced by Luke Donald after it emerged he was making the LIV move four years ago. The Swede, though, now prefers to look beyond his time on the league, where he won one individual title and earned over $10million in prize money.

“It’s going to be a bit of a hybrid this year for sure,” he says. “I’m playing the Senior PGA, playing Barbados Legends, and then most likely I might do a US Open qualifier in London for the regular US Open,” he said. “In July, I’m playing Senior US Open, the Open and the Senior Open.”

The US Open qualifier, comprising 36 holes in a single day, takes place at Walton Heath on May 18.

“Then there will be something on the DP World Tour as well as maybe Champions Tour,” he adds. “I should have a clearer picture going into 2027 after trying out some different tournaments and different tours.”

Stenson could be the first former LIV player to play on the Champions Tour – the PGA Tour’s over 50s circuit. Pat Perez has also just turned 50 and is planning to resume competing on the circuit – but only after serving his disciplinary action because of his involvement in LIV. TG has learned Stenson will be eligible for PGA Tour-sanctioned events from August 25 after his own suspension.

“I feel like I’m in a pretty good spot at 50,” says Stenson. “I’ve tried to look after myself over the course of my career and probably more so in the last 10 or dozen of years, keeping up the fitness work and the gym work and everything. Body-wise, I feel fine, and I’m looking forward to parts at least of this new chapter.”

Stenson’s period away from the game has allowed him to spend more time with his 16-year-old son Karl, who is embarking on a promising career of his own. The younger Stenson has started featuring in Sweden’s national setup and recently impressed playing partner Graeme McDowell with a round of 66 at Lake Nona.

“I thought I was busy throughout all these years, especially during the summer period,” he says. But you’re adding a youngster in there with tournaments now, and they’re not just an hour away from home anymore, longer weeks and trips away. My wife and I are trying to juggle that schedule at the same time as my schedule.

“I’m pleased with where I’m at and it’s going to be some fun highlights to get going again. Going back to Barbados – I’ve only been once back in 2006 for the World Cup it will be fun to go back to the island. Apes Hill looks like a beautiful course and I’m excited to play.”

This year’s Open at Royal Birkdale will mark a full decade since Stenson’s crowning moment, when he lifted the Claret Jug after his epic duel with Phil Mickelson at Royal Troon. Stenson insists he isn’t done yet though, even at the game’s very highest level.

“I feel like I still have a good enough game if I put it together,” he insists. “It’s about getting the pieces together. At The Open last year at Portrush, I was sniffing around top 10 even without my best game – but made some unforced errors [and finished T45]. 

“If you feel like you can get into those positions, you still have belief.  I’m not practicing like I did 20 years ago, it’s about working smarter now.  But I’m still a competitor. That doesn’t go away.  If you know how to win, that instinct stays. You just need to put yourself in the right position again.”