Sweden’s Mikael Lundberg hopes history repeats itself when he defends the Lyoness Open Powered by Greenfinity title at Diamond Country Club this week.
Twelve months ago, the 41 year old travelled to Austria not content with his game, but once there he made an adjustment to his putting which ultimately resulted in him claiming his third European Tour title courtesy of a dramatic play-off victory over home favourite Bernd Wiesberger.
This time he is once again searching for top gear on the course, but believes that could be a good omen.
“It’s always more special when you go to an event as the defending champion,” said Lundberg, who won his first two European Tour titles in Russia, in 2005 and 2008. “It’ll be fantastic.
“I wish my game was a bit better than it is right now, but it was similar last year. I didn’t play well in Sweden the week before and didn’t putt well, but I got the putting sorted once I was there and I won. Who knows, maybe it will click in the same way again this year.”
The Helsingborg resident fired a sublime 65 in the final round last season to tie with Wiesberger at the top of the leaderboard, then sunk a 40-foot putt for birdie on the first play-off hole to snatch the title.
“My putting was excellent that week – in fact my entire short game was great,” he recalled. “So it was quite fitting that I won it with a really long putt.
“The atmosphere was amazing that day with Bernd in contention, but I don’t think they liked me very much – they wanted Bernd to win.
“I kept the ball in play all week and hit good wedges and short irons, and if I can do that again this year hopefully it’ll be more of the same.
“You need to be straight off the tee which normally plays into my hands. I like it because it’s not a bomber’s course – you have to be tactical and good with your approaches.
“The greens are normally very good, and they usually have good weather which I’m really looking forward to after the last few weeks playing in cold, windy conditions.”
Wiesberger will be aiming to continue his fine record in his national Open, having won the event in 2012 and finishing in the top five on three other occasions, and he would welcome a confidence boost before heading to Chambers Bay to play in the US Open Championship next week.
Another former winner, Spaniard Rafa Cabrera-Bello, who carded a final round 60 to win at Fontana Golf Club in 2009, is also in the field, as are Italy’s Matteo Manassero and German Max Kieffer, who was tied third in last week’s Nordea Masters.
Scotland’s Richie Ramsay needs to win and await the results of others in order to be in with a chance of rising into the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking and earn a place in the US Open field. The three time European Tour winner is currently 76th in the world standings.
