Golf returns to Gut Larchenhof for Mercedes-Benz
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2007 Mercedes-Benz Championship | Preview | 12 Sep 2007
The European Tour has moved over the mountains from Switzerland to Cologne in the west of Germany for this week’s Mercedes-Benz Championship.
Previously known under a series of different names, more recently the Linde German Masters, the event is into its 20th year having first been played in 1987 and won by Sandy Lyle.
First played at Gut Larchenhof in 1998, the Jack Nicklaus designed 7290 yard layout has become the permanent home to the tournament since.
The tournament was not played last year but has found a new sponsor, name and format – a restricted 78 player field with no cut. Apart from one or two players who have retained a place on the USPGA Tour’s race to Tour Championship and FedEx Cup honours, nearly all of the European Tour’s best are in Cologne this week.
The favourite is likely to be Lee Westwood in what is a very evenly balanced field in terms of current form. Westwood appears on the verge of another win. He has been 6th and 9th at his last two starts and has not missed a cut in his last 16 starts. Westwood has produced several very low rounds on this course including a final round of 63 when he last played the event.
Ian Poulter has recorded top tens in two of the FedEx Cup finals which is certainly good enough form to bring him into calculations this week. He has missed the cut in each of his last two attempts at this event but did finish 3rd in 2003.
Berhard Langer is a five time winner of this event although only once at this venue, that being in 2001 when he held off John Daly to win by one. Langer continues to perform well at this level even though he has started his Senior Tour career.
Richard Green has played sparingly since his stunning 4th place finish at Carnoustie. He was 30th at the Bridgestone event and 40th at the PGA but has played well at this venue on occasions. He is a little short of match practice so to speak but if he is able to reproduce the sort of form he was showing prior to his break he might do well.
Despite Retief Goosen not being in his normal consistent form in recent months he is effectively the defending champion having won at Gut Larchenhof in 2005 when the event was last played. A return to the European Tour and this venue might help his recovery.
Anders Hansen has been playing well in stronger events in the US than that he faces this week and he has played well at this venue on occasions.
Oliver Wilson has been on a merry-go-round of form this year finishing 5th last week in Switzerland and runner up in Germany a few weeks ago. In between there have been some very ordinary weeks but when he is good, he is very good.
The Australasians other than Green are Michael Campbell and Peter O’Malley.
