Golf Events / Editor / 19 June 2007 /

German veteran Bernhard Langer will attempt to put the finishing touches to his impressive CV this week at the BMW International Open when he bids to win the only event that has eluded him on home soil.

The European legend has produced many memorable moments during his career including winning two US Masters titles and captaining the European Ryder Cup team to a famous record-breaking win in America three years ago.

There has been no lack of effort from Langer in the BMW International Open over the years and he has been unfortunate enough to find one player better than him no fewer than four times.

On two of those occasions, it was Dane Thomas Bjorn who pipped him to the title and the pair will renew rivalries again this week in Munich.

Langer can be backed at 46 to finally complete his 'full house' on German soil and 5 to finish in the top ten, while Bjorn - the champion in 2000 and 2002 - is trading at 40 to taste success in the event for a third time and 9 to place in the first five.

Ernie Els, the highest ranked player in the field and the world number five, is the pre-tournament favourite and is available at odds of 12 to win, around a point-and-a-half ahead of 2006 European Player of the Year Paul Casey.

Defending champion and Order of Merit leader Henrik Stenson can be backed at 15 to win his third tournament of 2007 with the imposing figure of Miguel Angel Jimenez available at inviting odds of 24 ahead of Niclas Fasth (25 to win), Ian Poulter (27) and Nick Dougherty and Robert Karlsson (30).

After the long rough, high scores and general carnage at the US Open last week, the leaders in the market will be glad to return to the relative calm of a venue that has a reputation for being a low-scoring course.

With a par of 69 and yardage under 7,000 yards, the course at GolfClub Munchen Eichenried is renowned for low numbers and the average winning score since the tournament moved there is 22-under-par.

Els will certainly arrive in a very different frame of mind to Fasth, Casey and Dougherty after struggling to get to grips with the severe Oakmont lay-out last week.

Finishing tied for 51st at the US Open means that the South African has now failed to earn a top-ten finish in his last five events and Els, who can be backed at 3.35 to place in the first five this week, will be desperate to rediscover some form ahead of next month's Open Championship.

Stenson also struggled at Oakmont, missing the cut, but the Swede is an unflappable character and he knows the course in Munich suits his game having won there last year.

He is also aware that, with his three nearest challengers not playing this week, a good performance will strengthen his position at the head of the Order of Merit. Stenson is 3.95 to come in the top five and 2.28 to register another top ten finish.

Casey again illustrated his ability to compete with the best in the world last week by finishing joint tenth but, after his final round at the US Open, it could be best to watch him in play.

Having started just three strokes off the lead with 18 holes to play, the Englishman frittered away all hope with his front-nine display and it will be interesting to see how he responds.

Fasth and Dougherty will certainly come into this week's tournament full of confidence after last week's performances - especially the former after he finished just two strokes adrift of winner Angel Cabrera.

But time will only how much the exertions will take their toll on the duo. They may still be on a high and carry their form into this weekend but the opposite could easily happen and they may fade.

Fasth is trading at 5.8 to place in the first five with Dougherty around two points longer but, whatever happens, their Oakmont experience looks sure to stand them in good stead for the rest of the season.

Poulter, who can be backed at 3.3 to finish in the top ten this week, returns to Europe to play only his seventh tour event this season and will be eager for a good week to lift himself up from his lowly present position of 40th on the Order of Merit.

But one player who may have benefited from not playing last week is Jimenez. The colourful Spaniard has already registered six top-ten finishes this season and, after coming in the top five in two of the last three events he has played, could be worth backing at 5.6 to make it a quick hat-trick.

Colin Montgomerie, 44 to win, will have his supporters but what sort of frame of mind he is in after badly missing the cut in America last week remains to be seen and, like Jimenez, it may be best to look at players who had the week off.

Martin Erlandsson likes the course having finished only one shot behind Stenson last year and, after coming joint ninth in Austria two weeks ago, is a man in form and could be worth following at 80 to win and 7.8 to place in the first five.

The lay-out could also suit Italian Francesco Molinari (75 to win) and Austrian Markus Brier (65 to triumph), while Raphael Jacquelin (36 to win) has already managed six top-ten finishes this year and Graeme Storm (100 to win) is another player that catches the eye.
Marcel Siem (130 to win and 10 to place in the top ten) will want to do well on his first appearance in Germany since winning the World Cup with Langer last December.

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