Henrik Norlander’s wife and two kids rank in the top 3 in terms of importance in his life. But for the Swedish golfer who walked off the course at the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship on Thursday atop the leaderboard with a score of 7-under 65, there’s a clear No. 4 on that list:
The Ryder Cup.
“Growing up in Sweden, it’s like everything,” Norlander said after his first round at the Country Club of Jackson. “You can probably see when you watch it − I’m not saying the Americans don’t care. They do. But we just were born that way. Being on a winning Ryder Cup team is like winning a major.”
Norlander wasn’t part of last week’s winning European team, but he watched from afar. He says the scenes and success only inspired him more to make a future roster, and he came out in Mississippi on a mission.
Norlander birdied the second and third holes before seven consecutive pars. His second shot on No. 11 traveled 236 yards to land within 14 feet of the pin on the par 5, setting up a two-putt birdie.
On the par-4 12th, he drained a birdie putt from nearly 40 feet, then made it three straight birdies with a putt from 8 feet on No. 13. Norlander capped his sizzling back nine with a chip-in eagle on the par-5 14th.
“It’s easy to say, but the last two years I haven’t played great golf, and I haven’t really been in the right head space,” Norlander said. “You put a lot of pressure on yourself. My attitude was good today. I felt very calm. I didn’t get too up… The only shot that matters is the next one. It’s boring, but if you can do that, it really makes it easier.”
Henrik Norlander equals his best score of the season (2022 World Wide Technology Championship/R3) in individual stroke-play events with a first-round 7-under 65 at the Sanderson Farms Championship.
He is making his 7th start at the event, with back-to-back T4s in 2020 and 2021.
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) October 5, 2023
Norlander hasn’t finished in the top 10 this season, and he’s recorded just five top-25 finishes. He’s missed the cut in three of his last four events entering Mississippi.
The struggles come as Norlander continues to work back from an injury suffered two years ago before the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina. Norlander hid behind a couch while playing hide-and-seek with his 18-month-old son. When his son found him, Norlander couldn’t get into a, “vertical position” for about 48 hours.
“Then I went to New York to play the first playoff event hurting a lot, and that’s sort of where I think it started, without really catching it,” Norlander said of his struggles. “I started lifting on the way back, and you do it enough times, it becomes the norm. It’s taken a long time. We have a nine month old at home and a three and a half year old. They’ve been keeping me pretty happy, but this game humbles you pretty big time.”
A familiar face finished his first round just behind Norlander. Matt NeSmith, who shot 66 thanks to four birdies and an eagle, and Norlander share a coach in Gary Cressend.