Former Open Champion Henrik Stenson is officially cleared to return to PGA Tour-sanctioned events following the expiration of his one-year suspension, and he confirmed the news himself this week at Royal Birkdale.

"They removed my ankle bracelet, and I'll be out of that one-year probation," Stenson joked after his opening round at the Open, referencing the suspension.

Stenson joined LIV Golf in 2022, signing shortly after that year's Open Championship at St. Andrews and winning his very first start with the league at Trump Bedminster.

The move cost him the European Ryder Cup captaincy, with Luke Donald installed in his place and going on to lead Europe to back-to-back wins.

It also marked the start of a slow fade for the Swede, who hadn't won on the PGA Tour since 2017. That fade caught up with him last year.

LIV enforced relegation for the first time as it pushes for Official World Golf Ranking accreditation. And Stenson finished 49th in the 2025 individual standings — edged out of a safe spot by his own LIV teammate, Ian Poulter, at the season-ending event in Indianapolis.

Under PGA Tour policy, players who leave for 'unauthorized events'(LIV Golf) face a one-year ban measured from their last LIV appearance. For Stenson, that clock started on August 24, 2025, and it's now almost up, expiring on August 25, 2026.

“I played the last LIV event 24th of August last year. So I'm kind of reinstated as a member, and I'm free to play PGA TOUR sanctioned tournaments from the 25th of August this year,” Stenson added during the same interview, per GolfDigest.

But Clearing the Suspension Doesn’t Hand Him Status

Stenson will return as a non-member, meaning any further PGA Tour golf has to come through the DP World Tour, Qualifying School, or the Korn Ferry Tour rather than an automatic exemption.

His more realistic target is the PGA Tour Champions, which he becomes eligible for later this summer after turning 50 in April.

Even there, he's not planning to go all-in. Stenson has said he expects to play somewhere between five and seven events on the back half of the 2026 Champions schedule, with an eye on qualifying for the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup playoffs if he plays well enough.

“I feel like I might give myself a window, say 15th of February until the 15th of October; that's when I play my golf. I certainly enjoy having an off-season," said Stenson, per GolfDigest.

"I think it's good for me, and at this stage of my life and my career, I want to have some time at home as well. I can see myself kind of finding that window what suits me, and I'll play hopefully some good golf and good tournaments within that.”

Stenson has played a handful of events in 2026, including a tie for 47th at the Senior PGA Championship in May and a tie for 11th at the U.S. Senior Open earlier this month.

Follow Club Golf for more.

Written by

Md Saife Fida