Stenson returns to brilliant best at BMW

BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2006 BMW International Open | Wrap | 04 Sep 2006

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson is back and the timing couldn’t be better. The Swede’s playoff win over Padraig Harrington and Retief Goosen at the BMW Championship this weekend could not have come at a better time for the Dubai based 30-year-old and for Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam.

Stenson has given every indication over the past eighteen months that he has what it takes to become a top ten world ranked player and, despite losing his way a little in recent months, this win has him back on track to play a key role in the European team’s defence of the Ryder Cup in two weeks time.

Stenson’s putt from twenty feet for eagle at the 72nd hole to win outright shaved the edge but when his approach at the first extra hole, perhaps fortuitously, finished four feet from the hole he had secured his second win of season 2006 and his fourth European Tour victory.

While Stenson may have been a little fortuitous with the bounce his second shot received at the playoff hole, it could also be suggested that he was rewarded for taking an aggressive line with his second. The ball pitched into the light rough guarding the left side of the green and bounced right towards the flag. “I thought I might have hit it too much left but when you win a tournament you get the occasional break.” Stenson’s sly grin to his caddy after seeing the result of the shot reflected the fact that he knew he had received a break that could well win him the tournament. Five minutes later – it did.

Stenson will be keen to mount a piece of the 18th green’s turf at the Golfclub München Nord-Eichenried on his wall of his trophy room. An eagle on Saturday was followed by a birdie and another eagle on Sunday, making a significant contribution to his victory.

Stenson had a great start to the year winning in Qatar and finishing runner up in Abu Dhabi and in Shanghai (after a playoff) but since the BMW in China, although he has played well enough, he has not been contending. “Things have been heading in the right direction the past few weeks,” said the Swede referring to his good play early at the PGA and a good finish to the WGC event at Firestone.

Goosen perhaps appeared to be the one most likely to take the title when he moved through the first eleven holes in five under but bogeys at the 14th and 17th holes saw him slip off the pace before an eagle at the last propelled him into a possible playoff. Stenson joined him at 15 under with his 72nd hole birdie and they would be required to wait a further twenty minutes until the final pairing of David Howell and Harrington played the last. Harrington needed a birdie to win the title outright, while a birdie for Howell would have made the playoff a four man affair. Neither would happen.

Howell and Martin Erlandsson tied for fourth while Luke Donald and Colin Montgomerie added to European expectations of Ryder Cup success with very solid weeks. All four appeared possible title contenders early in the back nine but were unable to finish things off.

The best of the Australians was Peter O’Malley who had a great week going before a horror front nine today. O’Malley finished 28th, an improving Jarrod Moseley was 37th, David Bransdon 42nd, Marcus Fraser 51st with Matthew Millar and Brett Rumford 59th.

At the completion of the tournament the European Ryder Cup side was finalised with Jose Maria Olazabal holding onto his number ten spot in the automatic selections and Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood being named as Ian Woosnam’s picks. It will be a relief and welcome diversion for Clarke to have made the team and a relief for Woosnam also that he has the services of such a quality and respected golfer as Clarke in his team.

Westwood got the nod ahead of the likes of Thomas Bjorn, Paul Broadhurst and Carl Pettersson, Johan Edfors and Ian Poulter, no doubt Westwood’s experience, good Ryder Cup record and recent good form the deciding factor.

The European Ryder Cup side looks very impressive on paper and the Americans will face an almighty task to regain the cup on foreign soil.

The European Tour now spends next week in Crans Sur Sierre in Switzerland for the Omega European Masters.