Golf Events / Editor / 17 August 2007 /

Former European Tour pro Roger Chapman looks to the Scaninavian Masters

The Scandinavian Masters is currently underway at Arlandastad GC just outside Stockholm in Sweden.

Many may not believe it but this tournament attracts the biggest crowds on the European Tour outside The Open. On the Saturday and Sunday there will be some 45,000 people per day watching

It is incredible to think that golf is so popular in the northern corners of Europe and credit must go to the players of the 80s for building the game in this part of the world - Jesper Parnevik (on show this week), Johan Rystrom and the like.

They did so much to put the Scandinavians on the map and now the mantle has been passed to an extremely talented generation of new(ish!) guys - Robert Karlson, Peter Hanson, Thomas Bjorn, Anders Hansen. In fact, there have been so many winners on the European Tour that Scandinavia is fast approaching 100 winners. Sweden have taken 74 titles, Denmark 15 and Finland one.

Personally I have not been to the course they are playing this week but I feel sure that at least one of the 'home' players will feature this week as this is their biggest tournament. Unfortunately for the sponsors and the local fans, three of the big names - Niclas Fasth, Henrik Stenson and Carl Petterson - are missing. Fasth has been on a great run, finishing fourth in the US Open and a couple of European Tour events. It's a real shame he couldn't have re-scheduled his tournaments to fit in his home Masters.

Stenson has lost his game a bit and with the birth of his first child recently he perhaps needs a bit of time off to get his head straight but again I have to question why this week. Petterson plays nearly all his tournaments in the US so was probably never going to show up.

Nevertheless, there are plenty who made it to Stockholm with loads of quality in the field.

Marc Warren, the defending champion, has not been playing well enough this year while Simon Dyson, on the other hand, has. His 64 to close out fourth place in the US PGA was a dream finish, but after four rounds in the 100s how much energy will he have left?

The sponsors have invited three big name Americans to add a touch of glamour. John Daly is sure to attract a large gallery. His motto of 'grip it and rip it' will go down well with the crowd. Corey Pavin - against whom I played Walker Cup golf in 1981! - has had a new lease of life after winning on the PGA Tour last year and Jeff Sluman is still very consistent. But I can't see any of them winning this week.

I think this tournament offers a great chance for the some of the lesser known players to make a mark. Simon Webster has had a nice little run and I am going for him as a potential champ.

The top Scandinavian for me would be either Robert Karlson or Peter Hanson while for a real outsider I would pick Benn Barham. I like the way he plays and he will have confidence after a few good events in top-class fields.

So here's to a great week of golf in one of the best-supported events on the European Tour.

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

:

:

:

?

: