A preview and stats for this week's European Tour event - the BMW International Open in Munich.
A preview and stats for this week's European Tour event - the BMW International Open in Munich
The European Tour returns to Munich for the 25th staging of the BMW International Open. Following an interlude of one year, Golfclub Munchen Eichenried is back on the rota having undergone a makeover plus a handful of structural changes. Since it last held the event in 2011, a number of upgrades have been carried out some of which are aimed at improving the experience for the viewing spectators. Four holes at Eichenried, traditionally one of the lower scoring venues in pro golf, have been toughened up. According to Korbinian Kofler, managing director at Munchen Eichenried, "the tees on the second and sixth holes have been moved back, while water obstacles on the 16th and 18th have been increased in size to make the approach shots to the respective greens more difficult." Sky Sports have live coverage for all four days. SELECTED PLAYERS with GOOD to REASONABLE FORM at MUNCHEN EICHENRIED Last Eight Events Player: '04 / '05 / '06 / '07 / '08 / '09 / '10 / '11 Felipe Aguilar: - / - / - / - / MC / 4 / MC / 14Thomas Bjorn: MC / 22 / 13 / MC / 48 / - / - / MC
Markus Brier: 16 / MC / 8 / 48 / 52 / 35 / 30 / 24
Alejandro Canizares: - / - / 25 / 52 / MC / MC / 9 / 48
Paul Casey: 3 / MC / 13 / 39 / 3 / - / 74 / MC
Alex Cejka: 3 / - / - / - / 16 / MC / 3 / MC
Robert-Jan Derksen: 33 / 24 / 8 / MC / 6 / 35 / MC / MC
David Drysdale: - / MC / 37 / - / MC / 4 / 11 / 43
Simon Dyson: 79 / 7 / MC / 11 / MC / - / - / MC
Niclas Fasth: - / 4 / 42 / Won / 59 / 16 / 55 / MC
Ross Fisher: - / - / MC / 26 / 12 / - / 2 / 9
Alastair Forsyth: 41 / 69 / MC / 11 / 24 / MC / MC / MC
Mark Foster: 33 / 36 / MC / MC / 3 / MC / 61 / 3
Peter Fowler: 20 / 16 / MC / 33 / 52 / MC / - / -
Ricardo Gonzalez: - / 11 / 18 / 4 / MC / MC / MC / MC
Richard Green: MC / - / - / - / - / 9 / MC / 12
Anders Hansen: 28 / MC / - / 4 / 2 / 21 / 30 / MC
Dave Horsey: - / - / - / - / - / - / Won / 18
David Howell: 22 / Won / 4 / - / 43 / MC / MC / 31
Raphael Jacquelin: 22 / 9 / 65 / 11 / MC / - / 36 / 31
Thongchai Jaidee: MC / 36 / MC / MC / MC / 21 / 21 / MC
Miguel Angel Jimenez: Won / 22 / 47 / 18 / MC / 4 / 49 / 39
Shiv Kapur: - / - / - / 22 / 40 / 8 / 67 / 39
Martin Kaymer: - / MC / - / MC / Won / MC / 21 / 18
Simon Khan: 58 / 8 / 47 / 7 / 30 / - / 21 / 24
Soren Kjeldsen: 11 / 4 / 25 / MC / 13 / 9 / 21 / 48
Maarten Lafeber: MC / 24 / MC / 4 / 48 / 26 / 21 / MC
Pablo Larrazabal: - / - / - / - / 61 / MC / 3 / Won
Peter Lawrie: MC / 11 / MC / 45 / 43 / 19 / 17 / 18
Thomas Levet: 2 / - / - / 9 / 6 / 9 / 67 / MC
Joost Luiten: - / - / - / MC / - / - / 11 / 3
David Lynn: 6 / 24 / 13 / 26 / 16 / 16 / MC / MC
Colin Montgomerie: 3 / - / 6 / - / 16 / 66 / 36 / 18
Marcel Siem: 75 / 24 / 13 / MC / MC / MC / 61 / 14
Jeev Milkha Singh: - / - / - / 18 / MC / - / 11 / MC
Joel Sjoholm: - / - / - / - / 24 / - / - / 31
Henrik Stenson: 33 / - / Won / 26 / 6 / 35 / - / 9
Graeme Storm: - / 30 / 28 / 64 / 16 / 4 / 36 / 24
Danny Willett: - / - / - / - / - / 9 / 30 / 24 Note: Tournament held at another site in 2012. Thomas Bjorn is a two-time winner at this venue in 2000 & 2002. SELECTED PLAYERS with POOR to MEDIOCRE FORM at MUNCHEN EICHENRIED Last Eight Events (No Top-35 Finishes from three or more starts since 2004) Player: '04 / '05 / '06 / '07 / '08 / '09 / '10 / '11 Richard Bland: - / MC / - / MC / MC / MC / MC / 64
Darren Fichardt: 80 / MC / 47 / 60 / - / - / - / -
Florian Fritsch: MC / - / - / - / - / MC / MC / MC
Lorenzo Gagli: - / - / - / - / - / MC / MC / MC
Ignacio Garrido: MC / MC / Dq / MC / MC / MC / 36 / Ret
Tano Goya: - / - / - / - / - / MC / 49 / MC
Christoph Gunther: - / - / MC / - / MC / - / - / MC
Gregory Havret: MC / MC / 51 / MC / - / MC / - / -
Jose Manuel Lara: MC / 64 / MC / MC / MC / MC / MC / MC
Gary Lockerbie: - / - / - / MC / - / 51 / MC / -
Andrew Marshall: 75 / MC / 67 / MC / - / - / - / -
Richard McEvoy: - / - / MC / MC / - / - / MC / MC
Nicolas Meitinger: MC / MC / - / MC / - / - / MC / -
Alvaro Quiros: - / - / - / - / MC / MC / 61 / -
Robert Rock: MC / - / MC / MC / MC / - / - / -
Alessandro Tadini: - / MC / 42 / MC / - / MC / - / MC
Martin Wiegele: MC / - / - / - / MC / - / MC / 60 TOP-10 Finishers at MUNCHEN EICHENRIED in 2011 (Not Already Listed Above) Sergio Garcia: (2nd)
Scott Jamieson: (T-3rd)
Robert Coles: (8th)
Lee Slattery: (T-9th) LOWEST 12 STROKE AVERAGES at MUNCHEN EICHENRIED (Last Four Tournaments - 2008/11) Average (Rounds) 68.63: Dave Horsey (8)
68.63: Joost Luiten (8)
68.75: Ross Fisher (12)
69.25: Danny Willett (12)
69.38: Graeme Storm (16)
69.40: Richard Green (10)
69.43: Martin Kaymer (14)
69.50: Henrik Stenson (12)
69.56: Soren Kjeldsen (16)
69.57: Mark Foster (14)
69.71: David Drysdale (14)
69.75: John Parry (8) Min. No. of Rounds = 8 LOWEST ROUNDS at MUNCHEN EICHENRIED SINCE 2000 62: Jose Maria Olazabal (2001)
62: Padraig Harrington (2001)
62: Raphael Jacquelin (2003)
62: Graeme McDowell (2004)
62: Simon Dyson (2005)
62: Rafael Echenique (2009)
63: Ten times Note: In 2001, Padraig Harrington posted consecutive rounds of 63-62. Four players carded rounds of 62 in Munich prior to 2000, they were: David Feherty (1989 & 1990), Steen Tinning (1992), Darren Clarke (1992) and David Park (1999). Munchen Eichenried: Par 72; 7,157 yards Winning Totals (Last Three Tournaments): 2011: 272 (Pablo Larrazabal)
2010: 270 (Dave Horsey)
2009: 266 (Nick Dougherty) Conclusion "Dustin Johnson likes to overpower golf courses," his coach Butch Harmon said in an interview with Skysports.com last week. That ethos clearly wasn't going to work at Merion where a restrained Johnson finished down in the pack (55th). However, this week's course is one where he can putt his awesome hitting to use and that's what makes him an attractive bet at 18/1. DJ has done very well on his trips to European soil. He was runner-up in the 2011 Open at Royal St George's, ninth at Lytham last year and 14th at St Andrews in his three Open starts while he was also sixth in the 2012 Nordea Masters at Bro Hof Slott in Sweden. In addition, Johnson has the benefit of past course experience having played here two years ago. He was 19th back then and can build on that here. Thomas Bjorn is a two-time winner at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried even though they were back in 2000 and 2002. However, his three-win season in 2011 reminded us that he's still capable of some excellent golf and he's showing that again in 2013. Bjorn, with legendary bagman Billy Foster on the bag again this week, has really found his touch with form figures of 2-4-40-8 in his last four starts. Foster reports that the Dane is "hitting it great" and given that he topped the putting stats in the Lyoness Open last time out everything seems in place for Bjorn to shine. Take him at 33/1. Paul Casey could be an interesting runner after his good display for the first three days of the US Open while Sergio Garcia will surely benefit from being back in the bosom of the European Tour after being given a hard time by the US fans at Merion. Give Sergio pars at 14 and 15 for the four days and he would have won the tournament so those that watched him closely in the US Open are correct in saying he's playing superbly. If he can avoid the big numbers, Sergio (runner-up here in 2011) could justify favouritism. Best bets 2pts e.w. Dustin Johnson at 18/1 (1/4 1,2,3,4,5)
2pts e.w. Thomas Bjorn at 33/1 (1/4 1,2,3,4,5)