Rich Beem and Ernie Els, the reigning US PGA and Open Golf Champions respectively, head a star-studded line-up for the Linde German Masters with Bernhard Langer defending the title.
Beem, Els and Langer are among ten Major Championship winners in the field at Gut Lärchenhof, Cologne, who between them have won 24 Major titles. Beem is the most recent Major Champion having captured the US PGA Championship when he finished a stroke ahead of World Number One Tiger Woods at Hazeltine National Golf Club last month and the 32 year old will be making his debut in Continental Europe.
Els, the current leader of the Volvo Order or Merit, won the Open Championship at Muirfield in July to take his tally of Major titles to three following two victories in the US Open Championship. The South African will be looking to consolidate his lead at the top of the Volvo Order of Merit by winning his fourth title of the year on The European Tour International Schedule as he seeks to take the title of Europe’s Number One from compatriot Retief Goosen.
Goosen, winner of the 2001 US Open Championship, is also in the field along with other Major Champions Seve Ballesteros, John Daly, Nick Faldo, Paul Lawrie, José Maria Olazábal and Ian Woosnam.
Twelve months ago Langer won the title he co-promotes for the fourth time when he held off the challenges of John Daly and Fredrik Jacobson. It was his 11th victory on home soil and 41st European Tour title in an illustrious career. After finishing runner-up to Thomas Björn in front of the home crowds at Golfclub München Nord-Eichenreid a fortnight ago, Langer will be keen to go one better and complete a dozen victories in Germany.
Joining Langer will be eight other Members of the European Ryder Cup Team who will face the American team at The De Vere Belfry at the end of the month.
This year the tournament carries a record prize fund of €3,000,000. The Linde German Masters will carry a first prize of €500,000 and, for the first time, the winner will receive a five year exemption as the tournament now carries Category 2 Exemption status.
