And So It Begins...Again

The Omega European Masters is upon us in Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland. Just another tournament on the Tour to the ignorant, this is one of the highlights of the year for true golf fans. It's the week when it all begins to matter again, when the clock is started again. 51 weeks from Sunday evening we will know the 12 members of Europe's Ryder Cup team for Celtic Manor 2010. Some of them may be assured of their place by Jun or July, others will have to scrap it out till the end, perhaps even relying upon Monty's 3 picks to see them through. This Sunday, 60/70-odd players will receive a paycheck to start them on their way.

The tournament can use this focus to its advantage - a strong field is assembled in the Alps, with Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Miguel Angel Jimenez, and Oliver Wilson just a few of the main contenders. McIlroy missed out on a maiden win here last year after missing a 2-foot putt in a playoff, after already taking 4 shots from within 100 yards on the 72nd hole. Jean-Francois Lucquin was only too pleased to capitalize on the youngster's error, and the Frenchman will be looking to find a return to form at the scene of his triumph.

McIlroy has certainly come far in the last year, moving up into the world's top 20 golfers, and picking up 3 top-20s in major championships, including a 3rd-place finish most recently at the US PGA. Although he will hope to pick up his second win of the season this week and banish the demons of last year, a repeat of last year's 2nd place would propel him to the top of the Race to Dubai standings, unless Lee Westwood (champion in 1999) takes the win.

It is remarkable to think that so young a man and so new a recruit to the professional ranks (2009 is only his 2nd full season) could be so close to being Europe's number one player, and yet it is extremely possible. He looks in good form, he obviously likes the course, and his ambition is endless. Martin Kaymer, current leader of the Race, is out for at least a month with broken foot bones, and Paul Casey (2nd place) is playing in the United States.

The Race is hotting up, and McIlroy and Westwood will look to take their chance this week to heap pressure on the absentees.

There are plenty of other likely contenders in the field this week. Simon Dyson, after a win two weeks ago, is back in action at Crans. Ever a streaky player, Dyson will be intent upon maintaining his current form to give himself a start in the Ryder Cup battle. He is a man who I have thought has the talent to make the team, but hasn't managed to put together a convincing run of form when it counts.

Darren Clarke, a favourite of the blog, has shown patches of form this year, and hopefully he'll be on song this week; unfortunate to miss out on a place in Faldo's team, the big Ulsterman will want to regain his place in a competition to which he has given so much.

Clarke's compatriot Graeme McDowell is also looking for a late kick-start to his season - after a couple of wins last year helped him into the Valhalla team, a single top-10 in 2009 has been a disappointing follow-up. He's a fiery player though, and while I don't expect him to win this week, watch out for him as the season draws to a close - I expect him to put a few points on the board before Christmas.

Bradley Dredge and Ricardo Gonzalez are also former winners in the field; Gonzalez had a fantastic win in Sweden 3 weeks ago, while Dredge has said that Celtic Manor provides an extra incentive to all of the Welshmen on Tour to try and make Monty's team.

Francesco Molinari, meanwhile, is a man to keep an eye on for the week.

Prediction? Westwood and McIlroy to both finish in the top 5, with a win for one of them. They're both excellent drivers of the ball, and so should be able to take the rewards granted by the thinner Alpine air. They've both performed well at the course before, and they're both hungry for success - McIlroy wants to show Monty what he's going to have from the outset; Westwood needs a win after a two-year drought, and will revel in the chance to head back to a once familiar spot at the top of the European rankings.

Over the coming days and weeks, we'll take a look at a breakdown of the various players in contention for Celtic Manor - who's expected to make the team, who'll surprise, and who might surprise the wrong way. We might even have a look at the Yanks.

Bank Austria Golf Open

Well hello. Our blog's maiden European Tour Tournament, and what news do I have for you?

The Austrian Open cannot be said to be the premier event on Tour. The fact that it comes the week before the US Open does not help its efforts to attract big names; many evidently feel that preparations for Torrey Pines in San Diego will not be found in Austria.

However, there are, as always, some top-class golfers here this week, not least defending champion Richard Green, seeking to become the first Australian since Greg Norman to win a Tour event back-to-back, and the first left-hander in history to do the double.

I like the look of Green; he's a very experienced chap with a demeanour most golfers should think about killing for. His putter also seems to be working - and although I feel that left-handers often look to have a steadier stroke, the statistics agree - he's 9th in the 2008 Putts Per Round stats.

Paddy Power put him at 14/1, just behind the tournament favourite Darren Clarke, at 12/1.

Darren. He's been my favourite golf for over ten years now, and it's great to see him getting back into a bit of form. I'm confident he'll make the Ryder Cup team on merit, but expect to see him in Valhalla anyway - he's well worth a wild card. 

This is his 3rd tournament in a row, but he's got the week off next week as he watches the action from Torrey Pines on the TV. He decided to play in Celtic Manor last week instead of trying to qualify, focusing on the Ryder Cup. A fourth place finish there seems to say it was a wise move, and I'm confident he can keep up the form here.

 As always with Darren, temperament is paramount. He's one of the most talented players in the world, and if he keeps his head he'll be right back up there. He does seem much more relaxed this year - he has put the game into the perspective it deserves, and accepts the ups and downs.

Michael Hoey won here on the Challenge Tour - I'm backing Darren to take another Austrian Crown back to Northern Ireland.

Marcus Brier is the home favourite, and three wins on the course and his status as touring professional there state the facts. He's coming off four straight missed cuts, but don't be surprised if he turns on cruise control this week at home.

Look out for Pelle Edberg as a 100/1 outsider - he's a player with a lot of talent, and I'm confident he'll pick up another win sooner or later. Shiv Kapur is another man whose form this year hasn't matched his capabilities, while I think John Bickerton of England is the type of steady player who could bring in a top-5 or better this week.

Don't see my mentioning of odds as an encouragement of gambling, nor do Paddy Power know I'm mentioning them - they just happen to be the online bookie I use (although a commission would be nice if any of the tips come off).

Just time for a quick word about the US tournament this week - the Stanford St. Jude Classic. David Toms has owned the course for the last few years, at 15/1 he's definitely worth a flutter, while Vijay Singh and Sergio Garcia, two of my tips for next week's US Open, might be on to something good this week too.

Tomorrow I'll be back with news of the Austrian golf, where we'll have no more vulgar talk of money - I watch golf to enjoy it, as my chances of making profits from it our long gone.

Till then.