Golf Events / Editor / 07 March 2007 /

The 2007 season may only be a couple of months old, but already there is a clear favourite to stamp his mark on the European Tour and lift the Order of Merit title for the first time.

While Henrik Stenson enjoyed a career-best year in 2006 - winning two tournaments and holing the winning putt at the Ryder Cup as Europe claimed a third successive victory - few people could have predicted his start to 2007.

Victories at the Dubai Desert Classic and WGC Accenture Match Play and top-ten finishes in his other two events, have catapulted the Swede to the top of European Tour standings and into the world's top five - he is now a very warm order to win his maiden Order of Merit crown.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Paul Casey were all the rage among backers early in the season, but Stenson has quickly moved above them and is now as short as 2.02 to take the accolade of Europe's top golfer of 2007.

Sixth in the Order of Merit table last year, Stenson's form in the early part of the year suggests that he will be a leading contender at the Grand Slam events and could become the first Swede to win a major championship.

The 30-year-old's policy of cherry-picking his tournaments to ensure he remains fresh is clearly working.

In his last ten tournaments dating back to last August, he has won three of them, finished in the top ten in five others and has not finished lower than 18th place.

If he needed confirmation, Stenson's victories in Dubai and at the Accenture will have convinced him that he is capable of beating the very best and he will be tough to catch in Europe, having already compiled almost double the earnings of his nearest challenger Goosen.

One of the main dangers to the Swede could be the number of tournaments he will play on tour this year.

Stenson is keen to compete against the best that the PGA Tour has to offer on a more regular basis this year, he is in the process of buying a house in Florida and this will inevitably curtail the time he spends in Europe.

Goosen has been his usual, consistent self this season, finishing in the top five no fewer than five times in amassing earnings of more than €750,000.

The South African has also, more importantly, rediscovered his winning touch after claiming his first European Tour title in 18 months at January's Qatar Masters and the victory will have done his confidence the power of good.

'The Goose' has reaped immediate reward from his decision to consult a coach for the first time in nine seasons last year and, currently trading at 9.2, he could be a good bet as he chases his second Order of Merit title.

Els and Casey will also be keen that Stenson doesn't have things all his own way, as the former seeks his third Order of Merit and the latter his first after losing out on the final day to Harrington in 2006.

Els lie some way behind Stenson at the moment in fifth place in the standings, but he has an amazing record on the European Tour having not missed a cut in 82 tournaments.

The world number six has finished in the top ten of 13 of his last 14 events - the only blemish coming with his first round exit to Bradley Dredge at the Accenture - and his next victory looks to be only a matter of time.

Els, who is now available to back at 8.2 having been matched as low as 4.1 before Stenson's great run, has also taken the brave decision to switch club equipment manufacturer's from Acushnet to Callaway. If the South African adjusts quickly to his new clubs, he could well emerge as the Swede's main threat.

Casey's form has been somewhat erratic so far in 2007, having a tendency to play very well one week then miss the cut the next. He is still, though, many people's idea of the next British major winner and has the ability to bring any course to its knees.

His victory in Abu Dhabi has laid the foundations for another good season and the Englishman, fourth in the standings at the moment, is well placed to mount another challenge for the title, where he is trading at 11.

Harrington is yet to produce his best in 2007 but the defending champion has shown he is not far away.

The Irishman was unable to sustain impressive starts in Abu Dhabi and at the Nissan Open on the PGA Tour, but he will get better the more he plays as he eliminates the mental mistakes from his game.

Harrington, who is available at 15.5, left it late to win his first Order of Merit title last year and it would be no surprise to see him mounting a staunch defence of his title.

Picking a winner on the European Tour has proved a difficult prospect so far this year, with seven first-time winners already this season.

But expect to see some of Europe's more established stars moving to the fore over the next few months, as the tour bids farewell to the far east and moves closer to home.

The likes of David Howell, 65 to win the Order of Merit after coming third last year, Lee Westwood (55), Ian Poulter (100) and Darren Clarke (110) have all selected their events carefully at the start of the season but look sure to be more of a factor as the campaign progresses.

Australian Nick O'Hern, seventh in the money list, is playing the best golf of his career and already has a match play victory over world number one Tiger Woods tucked safely under his belt.

The left-hander was unlucky to have a win in Qatar snatched from his grasp by Goosen but is proof you don't have to be a big hitter to be successful and, trading at 95, looks attractively priced for the Order of Merit title.

Eight-times champion Colin Montgomerie is still swinging the club well and, having missed out on a win in 2006, is anxious for his next victory as soon as possible while Stenson is not the only Swede to have made an impact in 2007.

Niclas Fasth is back to the sort of form that earned him a place on Europe's Ryder Cup team in 2002, having finished joint third at the Dubai Desert Classic and beaten Goosen at the Accenture. The Swede looks likely to be a factor wherever he plays.

Also watch out for Peters Hanson and Hedblom, who have caught the eye in the opening months of the season.

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