European Tour arrives on British soil at Belfry
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2006 British Masters | Preview | 10 May 2006
After five long months of travelling through Asia, South Africa, the Middle East, Australia and Southern Europe, the European Tour finally arrives in Britain for the Quinn Direct British Masters.
This will be the first time that the British Masters has been played at the De Vere Belfry’s Brabazon course in North Warwickshire. The tournament layout is one of three courses at the complex, the others being the Derby and PGA National courses. The Brabazon course was designed by the prolific Welsh architect and two time runner up in the British Open, Dave Thomas.
The field assembled this week reflects not only a €2.6 million purse, but the beginning of the final race for Ryder Cup points. The 2006 European Ryder Cup Team will be named on September 6th and this event is the first of the bigger events over the next few months, each of which will play an outcome in the bid for much sought after places on the Ryder Cup Team for The K Club in Ireland.
The last time a European Tour event was held here was in 2003 when Paul Casey beat Padraig Harrington by four shots after Harrington and Casey had shared the lead into the final round with New Zealander Stephen Scahill. Both Harrington and Casey are in the field this week and both have excellent chances.
The favourite in many eyes is Henrik Stenson who, in his last start two weeks ago in China, finished runner up to Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano. Six weeks ago he finished third at the Players Championship at Sawgrass and arrives here as the leading World ranked player in the tournament.
Harrington has played well enough this season to be considered a good chance. He was 11th in New Orleans two weeks ago and despite not contending often of late has missed only one cut in his last fifteen events. Angel Cabrera disappointed in Italy last week but in his start prior to that was 8th at Augusta and did play well here on his last visit to the Belfry.
Like Harrington, David Howell has been very solid of late and has developed into one of the world’s best players. His last event was at the Masters so he might not quite be at his peak for this one but, as the clear leader of the European Tour Order of Merit in 2006, he must have some chance.
Paul Casey has already proven that he can handle this golf course and, with some good form in China recently, there is no reason for that not to be the case after this week.
Given the depth of this field, the possibilities are endless with the likes of Darren Clarke, Colin Montgomerie, Niclas Fasth and Thomas Bjorn all worthy of mention.
The Australasians are headed by Michael Campbell who was fourth in this event last year albeit at a different venue. Campbell has played very little this year and has been ordinary when he has so he might need a tournament or two to be able to contend again.
Brett Rumford, Richard Green. Peter O’Malley, Marcus Fraser, Peter Fowler, Matthew Millar and David Bransdon are other Australasians playing the event.
