As we countdown to the 2014 BMW International Open, europeantour.com's stats man Steve Doughty reveals his five players to watch at Golf Club Gut Lärchenhof...
Ross Fisher
- Already a winner this season in the Tshwane Open in South Africa.
- Form has dipped in recent events, but has still posted ties for 15th in the Open de España in May and eighth last week in the Irish Open.
- Finished in a tie for eighth the last time the event was held at Gut Lärchenhof, shooting four rounds of 70 in 2012.
- When the Cologne course staged the German Masters in 2008, Fisher finished in a tie for third, before posting an additional top 20 the year after.
Sergio Garcia
- Will be hoping to bring his trans-Atlantic form to Germany and claim a second title at Gut Lärchenhof.
- Won the 1999 German Masters at this venue as a 19 year old, beating Padraig Harrington and Ian Woosnam in a play-off.
- Finished in a tie for second last week in the Travelers Championship on the US PGA Tour.
- Has finished on the podium in three of his last five events in America.
- Garcia has not won the BMW International Open, but has a fine record.
- He lost in a play-off to fellow countryman, Pablo Larrazábal in 2011, and was tied for seventh in 2001 and 2013, albeit on a different course.
Martin Kaymer
- Will be cheered on by a home crowd in Cologne, as the new US Open Champion tries to claim his second victory of the season, and in consecutive appearances.
- Has a history of winning his next event after Major Championship victory.
- When he won the 2010 US PGA Championship, Kaymer won the KLM Open on his next European Tour appearance.
- Claimed the BMW International Open title in 2008 thanks to a play-off defeat of Anders Hansen, which made Kaymer the first, and so far, only German to win the title.
- Finished in a tie for eighth in the 2008 German Masters played at Gut Lärchenhof.
- Apart from his victory at this event in 2008, he also shared fourth place in the 2013 BMW International Open.
Marcel Siem
- Will hope to be inspired by his fellow countryman and friend, Martin Kaymer, and become the second German to win the BMW International Open.
- Has been very consistent this season, missing just one cut from 11 European Tour appearances.
- His best finish this season is a tie for seventh in the BMW PGA Championship.
- Siem's form of late has been very good, with his best three performances all coming in the last three events.
- Siem was an excellent tied 12th in the US Open Championship and tied 14th in the Irish Open, to go alongside his good play at Wentworth.
- From 14 previous appearances in the BMW International Open, his best finish is a tie for sixth, which came at Gut Larchenhof in 2012.
- Also finished tied eighth in 2008 and tied 12th in 2009 in the German Masters at this Jack Nicklaus deigned layout.
Henrik Stenson
- The 2013 European Tour Number One comes into the BMW International Open in the sort of form that led him to the Harry Vardon Trophy last year.
- His last four European Tour results are a tie for fifth in the Volvo China Open, a share of seventh in the BMW PGA Championship, a fifth place at the Nordea Masters and a tie for fourth at the US Open Championship.
- Stenson won this tournament in 2006, overcoming Retief Goosen and Padraig Harrington in a play-off, and the Swede is one of 12 former champions competing this week.
- Apart from his 2006 triumph, he also tied for sixth in 2008 and 2012, ninth in 2011 and tenth in 2013.
- Should he win, Stenson would become just the third multiple winner of the BMW International Open, following Paul Azinger (1990 and 1992) and Thomas Björn (2000 and 2002).
- Is another player with excellent form on this course after a tie for sixth in this event in 2012
- Also finished tied second in 2005 and tied sixth in 2009 at the German Masters on the same course.
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