It's been a lost year for 2009 THE PLAYERS champion Henrik Stenson -- he's seen his Official World Golf Ranking dip from seventh to 45th -- and he says part of the blame lies on a nagging flu that cost him two months in late summer. After he finished tied for third in the British Open Championship at St. Andrews, Stenson went into a tailspin that saw him finish last in the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, then miss the cut at four events in a row. "I was ill for, like, eight weeks in total, with flu and chest infection and stuff," Stenson said. "And I still tried to play. There was some tough times. And last couple of weeks, I have been struggling." Stenson has played in all three Fall Series events so far, but wild driving at The Viking Classic (cut) and bad putting at The McGladrey Classic (ditto) had him lacking momentum for this week's Frys.com Open. But the Swede has come out firing this week at CordeValle, where Stenson has kept the driver mainly in the bag through two rounds. His 67-67 opener has him currently tied for fifth, five shots behind Rocco Mediate. "[My] short game has been unbelievable," said Stenson, who had just 52 putts in the first two rounds. "I'm playing better, but it is definitely the short game that has got me going and I think Seve [Ballesteros] would have been proud if he watched me. "I'm at least enjoying myself now. I haven't been there for a couple of weeks."