FedExCup: The Money Will Really Mean Something To Stenson

It's a sensitive topic but one that actually makes this weekend's FedExCup finale at East Lake compelling: Henrik Stenson vying for the $10 million bonus plus the first place prize for winning the Tour Championship.

Though he's not hurting by any means, Stenson was hit hard by Allen Stanford's fraud a few years ago and while he says the trophies are all that matter, the huge paycheck at stake would allow him to replenish accounts defrauded by good PGA Tour friend Stanford who is now serving time.

Jason Sobel with the story.

Stenson was reported to have lost investments well into the seven figures when the investigation was made public four years ago.

"[It is] not all my money, but I have quite a big part of my own savings and investments with them," he said at the time. "It's a very unfortunate situation. I'm a victim as everybody else in that big thing.”

There may be no direct correlation between these personal concerns and his on-course performance, but facts are facts. When the story of Stanford Financial’s massive fraud broke, Stenson was ranked sixth in the Official World Golf Ranking. Within two years, he had dropped all the way to 230th.

Much to his credit, Stenson doesn’t blame the loss of his game on the loss of his savings. Nor does he point to this week’s potential windfall as an opportunity to recover what he once innocently and involuntarily surrendered.

“It's a personal matter,” he explained, “but I'm not struggling by any means.”