Wednesday 24 January 2018 18:39, UK
Thomas Bjorn is delighted with the way his prospective Ryder Cup team is shaping up as he reflected on a hugely-successful start to the year for European golf.
Bjorn was delighted to see Tommy Fleetwood, Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm all in winning form at the weekend, while he also welcomed the encouraging return of Rory McIlroy, who looked fit and healthy and in good form after his extended winter lay-off.
Several members of Bjorn's winning EurAsia Cup team enjoyed excellent weeks in Abu Dhabi, where Fleetwood retained his title after a storming back nine on Sunday, and the Dane has increased optimism as he continues to plan for the Ryder Cup in September, although he remains wary of the strength of American golf.
"When you wake up on Monday morning and Sergio has won in Singapore, Tommy has won in Abu Dhabi and Jon has won on the PGA TOUR, you can't help but think that European golf is in very good hands right now," said Bjorn ahead of this week's Omega Dubai Desert Classic, where McIlroy, Fleetwood and defending champion Garcia are all competing.
"There are some great players. But then you look at what 12 you've got to be up against and American golf is also in great hands at the moment. There are six or seven Americans and a few others from around the world who also are very special players. There's no doubt that these players, at a young age, feel like they can consistently compete for majors."
Bjorn described Fleetwood's performance as "major-like", while he was also happy to see McIlroy back to full health after his injury-plagued 2017 campaign.
"He hasn't missed a gym session, when you look at him," Bjorn added. "I think we make a lot out of Rory and we talk a lot about him. He's a wonderful golfer and he obviously struggled with his injuries last year, felt it was difficult and he was always feeling like he was probably a little bit behind when he got to tournaments.
"I saw him last week; and to see him fit and healthy and desperate to play golf, that's how you want to see him. And in that position, he's very dangerous as a golfer, that's for sure.
"I thought Tommy's performance on Sunday was major-like. To go and shoot 30 on the back nine in those conditions when you have to? We can all go and shoot 30 when you're lying 39th and you move to 14th, but he had to go out on that back nine and do that. And he's in a great place."
Bjorn admitted he had learned much about the role of European captain as well as being understanding of his players during the EurAsia Cup, but he warned that it was too early to make firm decisions on his preferred line-up for Le Golf National.
"Form will change and personnel will change," he said. "I don't want to get ahead of myself and write down 12 names I want to have as my team, because no matter how many times I guessed, that probably will never be the 12.
"But I thought EurAsia Cup was important in so many ways, getting 12 guys together that all have great potential of being in Paris in eight, nine months' time. To get to spend some time there, I look at players and I know what a lot of them stand for.
"You had 10 of those guys finishing in the top 20 in Abu Dhabi, and that's a strong performance. They used the EurAsia Cup well, they used the confidence they built from the week of where their golf was. It just gives me a lot of belief that we are in a good place.
"But you know as well as I do that the golfing world moves and it goes like a yo-yo; people go up-and-down, and where it leaves us at that time, we'll see. But where we are right now, I feel like there's a lot of good things to build on for a lot of these players."
