EXCLUSIVE: PGA and DP World Tour rebel Henrik Stenson says he would be willing to take a LIE DETECTOR test to disprove allegations he accepted Ryder Cup captaincy with the view of leveraging a better financial package from the Saudi-backed LIV Tour
- Henrik Stenson was dropped from the Ryder Cup captaincy earlier this year
- The Swede accepted a £40m package to join the highly controversial LIV Tour
- Stenson denied that he took on the captaincy with a view to a better LIV offer
Henrik Stenson says he would take a lie detector test to disprove rumours that he used the Ryder Cup captaincy to leverage a better offer from the LIV breakaway series.
The Swede was dropped from the prestigious role by European Ryder Cup bosses in July after accepting an offer in the region of £40million to defect to the Saudi-backed rebel series.
That scenario has given rise to the whispered theory Stenson may have accepted the post back in March as a means of coax a better package – but it is a scenario the 46-year-old has flat-out denied.
Henrik Stenson said that he would be willing to take a lie detector test over LIV tour allegations
Speaking ahead of LIV's season finale in Miami, he told Sportsmail: 'I can give you a 100 per cent honest answer that it was never the case. I would be willing to take a lie-detector test on that.'
Despite drawing criticism from golf's traditional factions for such a controversial decision, Stenson, who won on his LIV debut in Bedminster, said he remains satisfied with his call.
He added: 'I am happy. I thought that through in more than one afternoon. I am happy with where I am at. I managed to get a win straight out of the box and I am looking forward to next year.
'I am enjoying being with the guys on this tour. We are playing together, travelling together and it has a different vibe to regular life on tour that I did for many years. That was great. But I am enjoying this.
'I haven't played anything but LIV events since the summer, so I mean going forward I am getting the off season I have wanted for 16 or 17 years. I am looking forward to that – getting strong and healthy in the gym and getting ready for the new season in February. I am happy.'
The Swede won on his debut on the Saudi-backed tour and said he was relishing his new opportunity
Stenson denied that he accepted the Team Europe Ryder Cup captaincy post as leverage
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