After the drama of Chambers Bay, The European Tour returns to Germany this week for the prestigious BMW International Open. A quality field has assembled near Munich this year, making it difficult to choose your Fantasy Race to Dubai team. Let us help with that.
Thomas Bjørn
Denmark’s most successful golfer has seen his season hampered by a back injury, but with the 44 year old seemingly over those problems, he has posted two top 25 finishes in his last two starts, including an impressive tied 11th at The European Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship. Two of the great Dane’s 15 European Tour wins have come at the BMW International Open, and at this week’s venue, Golfclub München Eichenried. On his way to victory in Bavaria in 2000 and 2002, Bjørn posted winning totals of 20 and 24 under par respectively. Add to that seven top tens at this event, including three in the last three years, and an overall record of 173 under par at Germany’s national Open, and you can see why we are recommending the Ryder Cup star for your team.
Denmark’s most successful golfer has seen his season hampered by a back injury, but with the 44 year old seemingly over those problems, he has posted two top 25 finishes in his last two starts, including an impressive tied 11th at The European Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship. Two of the great Dane’s 15 European Tour wins have come at the BMW International Open, and at this week’s venue, Golfclub München Eichenried. On his way to victory in Bavaria in 2000 and 2002, Bjørn posted winning totals of 20 and 24 under par respectively. Add to that seven top tens at this event, including three in the last three years, and an overall record of 173 under par at Germany’s national Open, and you can see why we are recommending the Ryder Cup star for your team.
Maximilian Kieffer
Assuming you already have Germany’s two-time Major Champion Martin Kaymer in your team, we think you should make the very consistent Düsseldorf resident the second home player on your team sheet. Three top tens in five events, including a tied third in Sweden, show how well the 24 year old is playing at the moment. As well as showing plenty of quality, Kieffer has also displayed great desire this season, making 15 out of 15 cuts. The German has only finished two events in 2015 over par and is 13th in the Stroke Average statistics for this campaign, at 70.57. He has had ample opportunity to get the feel for the big time on The European Tour as well, having been in the last group out on Sunday at both the Nordea Masters and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation. The Challenge Tour graduate will see this week as the perfect chance to get over the line and record his maiden European Tour victory.
Joost Luiten
Assuming you already have Germany’s two-time Major Champion Martin Kaymer in your team, we think you should make the very consistent Düsseldorf resident the second home player on your team sheet. Three top tens in five events, including a tied third in Sweden, show how well the 24 year old is playing at the moment. As well as showing plenty of quality, Kieffer has also displayed great desire this season, making 15 out of 15 cuts. The German has only finished two events in 2015 over par and is 13th in the Stroke Average statistics for this campaign, at 70.57. He has had ample opportunity to get the feel for the big time on The European Tour as well, having been in the last group out on Sunday at both the Nordea Masters and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation. The Challenge Tour graduate will see this week as the perfect chance to get over the line and record his maiden European Tour victory.
Joost Luiten
Player Profile
If Dutch star Joost can shake off the jet leg from his Chambers Bay adventures, he could play a big part in the 26st staging of this fine event. Luiten showed his pedigree in the year’s second Major, finishing tied 39th at the US Open after opening with two rounds in the 60s. Although Golfclub München Eichenried provides its own unique test, it should feel somewhat more forgiving for the four time European Tour winner, in comparison to the challenges Chambers Bay provided. Luiten has already shown glimpses of good form this year, notably at Wentworth, where he finished tied 11th, alongside Bjørn. The 29 year old feels comfortable at this course as well – in the last four years he has finished third, tenth and 11th at the BMW International Open. With the 7,181-yard layout rewarding aggressive golf, Luiten might just be in luck this week.
Matt Fitzpatrick
Player Profile
Four top 25 finishes in five starts has seen the Sheffield native really begin to make his mark on The European Tour. Full of promise and talent, Fitzpatrick shot three rounds of 69 in his last appearance, at the Lyoness Open Powered by Greenfinity. With the average winning score being 20 under par from the 16 times this venue has hosted the event, finding greens in regulation will provide a host of birdie opportunities this week. With ‘Fitz’ seventh in the GIR standings, he should be presented with plenty of chances to get a lot of red numbers on his card.
Chris Wood
Player Profile
Not only is Chris Wood in fine form, he also has a special relationship with BMW events, having won a BMW i8 last month, courtesy of his hole-in-one at the BMW PGA Championship. That helped the tall Englishman finish fourth at The European Tour’s flagship event, before another good display in Northern Ireland yielded a tied 16th finish. The highlight of his season, new BMWs aside, came at the last event on European soil, the Lyoness Open, where Wood triumphed for his second European Tour victory. In the aftermath of his win in Austria, Wood said he felt the win had been coming. He is confident, injury-free and loving his new car.
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