European Open - Six to watch

Garcia: Back in Europe

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The build-up to this month's Open Championship starts in Kent on Thursday, with the first of three tournaments in either England or Scotland.

European Tour stats package

This week's European Open is being staged at the impressive London Club just outside the M25.

Opened in the early 1990s, the venue is situated approximately 25 miles from central London, close to the famous motorsport circuit of Brands Hatch.

The Heritage Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, has already hosted three European Senior Tour events and possibly the most dominant feature of the layout is the many natural grandstands that surround the majority of its greens.

After 13 years at The K-Club near Dublin, the European Open is being played in England for the first time since 1994 when David Gilford won at East Sussex National.

A decent field is teeing-up for one of the Tour's premier titles, with a number of big names in attendance.

Amongst those looking to contend this week:

Nick Dougherty: Dougherty quickly needs to find a little-more consistency as he bids to secure a Ryder Cup debut in September. He has posted just a brace of top-10 finishes during the past five months.

Sergio Garcia: His victory at the Players' Championship in May appears to have re-kindled the Spaniard's hunger for the sport. The 28-year-old is back among the world's top-10 and is the highest-ranked player teeing-up this week.

Padraig Harrington: Has endured a stuttering first six months of the year but will be desperate to re-discover his best form ahead of his Open defence at Royal Birkdale.

Robert Karlsson: Currently in the form of his life. Since the start of May has posted four top-three finishes, plus a top-four performance at the US Open.

Colin Montgomerie: A runner-up finish in France on Sunday earned the 45-year-old Scot his first back-to-back top-20s for exactly 12 months. Is the defending champion this week.

Justin Rose: The 27-year-old Rose will hope to bloom in the Garden of England as he chases his first victory of 2008. The Englishman finished tied-for-second at the recent Memorial Tournament in Ohio.