Stenson narrow favourite in Shanghai

BY Bruce Young | Asian Tour | 2008 BMW Asian Open | Preview | 22 Apr 2008

The BMW Asian Open is played this week at the Thomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club in Shanghai, the second of two consecutive events in China on the 2008 European Tour schedule and the third of four co-sanctioned events in China this season.

Opened in 1997, the Thomson Shanghai course was designed by Japan’s Shunsuki Kato and has regularly played host to this event and others in its 11 year history. This will be the fifth occasion this particular event has been played at this course, the two other occasions it was held, being in Taiwan.

Raphael Jacquelin arrives in Shanghai not only as the defending champion but looking to continue an excellent run of recent success by French golfers on the 2008 European Tour. In order for him to do so however he will need to improve on his rather ordinary run of form of late. He is not playing anywhere near as well as he was leading into this event twelve months ago so has a big task ahead if he is to successfully defend.

Henrik Stenson, Retief Goosen, Miguel Angel Jimenenz, Jeev Milkha Singh and Martin Kaymer are all back in action after the Masters and all have genuine claims to the title. Stenson finished runner up to Gonzalo Federez Castano two years ago at this event and venue and his effort at Augusta was reasonable.

Jimenenz was one of only two players to break 70 on the final day at August and his 8th place finish has him ready to do well this week. He won this event in 2004 and everything points to another good week.

Goosen has shown some encouraging form of late as his 17th place at Augusta and his runner up place finish at the WGC – CA event would suggest. He played well enough in this event last year when 15th to suggest that he could do well.

Singh made his second consecutive cut at Augusta two weeks ago and with two runner-up finishes in recent co sanctioned events in Asia he is a strong chance to do well.

Graeme McDowell seems to be in contention most weeks in events such as this and he stands another good chance this week. He was 9th last year at this venue and after a solid 5th place last week in Beijing he can be expected to go close to winning his second event of the season following his win in Korea a month ago.

Mark Brown blew a great chance to finish second last week when he dropped four shots in the last two holes in Beijing but the New Zealander has found a rich vein of form that might just see him contending again. He comfortably leads the Asian Tour Order of Merit over Jeev Milkha Singh and the pair could well feature on Sunday in a race for the lead in Asia.

Soren Kjeldsen finished runner up last year in this event and has played well enough of late for a repeat to be on the cards and David Howell appears to be returning to his old form.

The Australasians are perhaps headed by Scott Strange who was doing well in Beijing until a final round 81. Michael Campbell’s confidence will have been boosted by his best ever round at Augusta during round two of the event in which he missed the cut and his follow up effort will be of much interest. Peter O’Malley, Kane Webber, Marcus Fraser, Scott Hend, Scott Barr, Adam Blyth, Peter Fowler, Tony Carolan, Gavin Flint, Unho Park, Gary Simpson, David Gleeson, Stephen Scahill and the ageless Greg Norman make up those from our part of the world.

Norman is in China no doubt to pursue design interests as much as play tournament golf but his 7th place finish in South Africa earlier this year highlights that he is not the worst of chances amongst the Australian contingent.