European Masters welcomes Asian Tour
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2009 Omega European Masters | Preview | 02 Sep 2009
The Asian and European Tour have been co-sanctioning partners in numerous events in Asia over the last ten years but this week that relationship is taken to another level when the tours join forces for the first time in Europe.
The Omega European Masters brings the two tours together on the amazing Crans Sur Sierre Golf Club high above the Rhone Valley in Switzerland. The layout is amazing not because of the course’s greatness, but because of its location. The views are some of the most magnificent in world golf overlooking the Rhone Valley, the Matterhorn and the surrounding Swiss Alps.
During winter the golf course becomes the learners’ slopes of the renowned ski resort of Crans Montana and Crans Sur Sierre, while in summer the Seve Ballesteros redesign hosts the event it has provided the venue for since 1939.
Defending champion is Jean Francois Lucquin who defeated this week’s pre tournament favourite Rory McIlroy in a playoff.
The Europeans, given their superior world ranking, dominate the field with McIlroy and Westwood the clear favourites, both having form on the layout with McIlroy’s near miss last year and Westwood having won the event ten years ago.
Westwood arrives off the back of five consecutive top tens in world golf including his last start third at the USPGA Championship, a position he shared with McIlroy. Both deserve the favouritism they command this week.
Bradley Dredge is a previous winner of this event and while he has slipped outside the top 250 in world rankings he has shown a little improvement of late. He could well improve sharply on a golf course where he has not only won in 2006 but finished third two years ago.
Francesco Molinari has played well in bigger events than this in recent weeks and played this event well last year. Molinari appears a good chance this week.
Alvaro Quiros is one of the game’s longest hitters and that will be accentuated this week in the thin air of Crans Sur Sierre. If he can find a way to control that then he stands a chance of continuing some impressive results of late. Quiros is inside the top 50 in the world a stat that might escape many.
The Australasian challenge is boosted by the appearance of not only the European Tour regulars but those players who play the Asian Tour and get a start via their performances there.
Danny Lee was an impressive 10th last week at the Johnnie Walker Championship and could do well again. He is an exceptional talent and he and McIlroy represent what the future of the game could offer.
Michael Campbell keeps battling away and he will be joined by Mark Brown, Scott Strange, 2007 champion Brett Rumford, Marcus Fraser, Peter O’Malley and tournament invitee Scott Arnold. From the Asian Tour come Mitchell Brown, Darren Beck, Scott Hend, Rick Kulacz, David Gleeson, Kane Webber, Terry Pilkadaris and Adam Blyth.
