Europe's best battle for OOM at Volvo Masters
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2007 Volvo Masters | Preview | 31 Oct 2007
The Volvo Masters brings the 2007 European Tour to a close when it gets underway today at the famed Club de Golf Valderrama on Spain’s south west coast.
The event brings together the leading 55 available players from the 2007 European Tour Order of Merit and with a first prize of €666,000 then there are still four players who could, mathematically at least, take out the Harry Vardon Trophy as the winner of the Order of Merit title.
Ernie Els has chosen to play is Singapore for a no doubt secured and significant appearance fee and as a result of his decision, the way has been left open for Padraig Harrington, Justin Rose, Niclas Fasth or Henrik Stenson to win the Order of Merit. Harrington needs only to finish third and with only €700 between he and Rose, a similar result may give Rose the title provided that either doesn’t finish first or second ahead of them.
It gets very complicated for the other two in terms of winning permutations but essentially there is a lot at stake in terms of European Tour bragging rights in addition to the significant first prize cheque for the player to take the title.
Sergio Garcia, who is not part of the race for Order of Merit honours, may still have a major say in who wins it as he is arguably the favourite this week. Garcia has often played well in this event having not been outside the top ten in his last four starts. He has played well enough in recent starts for him again to star this week.
Justin Rose’s recent runner up placing at the Dunhill Links event confirms that he is not far off his best and despite a first round loss at the World Match Play and a less than satisfactory week in Portugal he is still one of the class players in the field and could make the week a double whammy. Rose does not have a good record at Valderrama however in the few times he has been to the event.
For Harrington, a win this week would bring to a close an amazing season where he has won his first major. The Harry Vardon Trophy would the icing on a very rich cake.
Niclas Fasth does play this course well and comes into the event in solid form. He could well upset the more fancied candidates to take the title. Brett Rumford and Peter O’Malley are the only two Australians in the event, both Richard Green and Nick O’Hern not playing despite being eligible. O’Hern is playing this week’s Singapore Open instead.
