Were golf a popularity contest, Henrik Stenson would never have slipped into the sport’s obscurity in the first place. The fact that he did simply made success at East Lake, which was worth $11.44m (£7.15m), all the sweeter for the Swede. Two years ago Stenson had cause to wonder where it had all gone wrong while educated golfing observers were bemused by his slip outside the top 200 players in the world. Even in June, at the time of this year’s Scottish Open, Stenson was 31st in those rankings. On Monday morning Stenson should be confirmed as currently the fourth best golfer in the world. A place in the European Ryder Cup team for next year’s meeting with the United States at Gleneagles is all but assured. The level of congratulations bestowed on him for his triumph in Georgia illustrated the esteem Stenson is held in by fellow players and fans alike. Justin Rose was among those who hung around the 18th green to congratulate the first ever European winner of the FedEx Cup. If success in both the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup confirmed Stenson’s professional redemption, there was an unavoidable personal element to the 37-year-old claiming the most…