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Groggy Stenson hopes to kick-start season at China event

Sweden's Henrik Stenson checks the breeze on the fourth hole during the third round of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia April 12, 2014. REUTERS/Jim Young (Reuters)

(Reuters) - World number three Henrik Stenson's bid to kick-start his 2014 campaign at this week's China Open has been hampered by a bout of flu. The Swede, who won the order of merit in Europe and the Tour Championships in the U.S. last year, has struggled to reach the heady heights so far this season and said he was not feeling his best ahead of the $3.2 million (1.9 million pounds) European Tour event starting on Thursday. "I am just kind of waking up to be honest after a little bit of flu," Stenson said after pulling out of Wednesday's Pro Am tournament at Shenzhen Genzon Golf club. "I am still a bit weak after spending the last 36 hours in bed, but I am slowly getting there and hopefully I can rest up and drink lots of fluids and be a bit better tomorrow and be ready to play." The 38-year-old finished tied fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in the U.S. last month and followed that up with a tied 14th effort at the year's first major, the U.S. Masters. The two finishes are the best the Swede has managed this year in nine starts on the U.S. and European circuits and he blamed the below par efforts on fatigue. "There has been a little hangover from last year after so much success and then all the resulting commitments that come off the course," he said. "I have only really had a two-week break from it all and it has been tough to kick-start a new season when you are quite low on energy. But other than that I am right on track. "I didn't have a great start to the season last year so I am in the same position as I was going into the summer. I played pretty well at the Masters without nailing it, but I am happy with the game. "I didn't plan on having a virus for the 20th Volvo China Open, but I am here and will do the best I can." Stenson is the highest ranked player in the tournament, co-sanctioned with the OneAsia Tour, that also features U.S. PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner and Britain's Ian Poulter. (Reporting by Patrick Johnston; Editing by John O'Brien)