Sergio Garcia returns to Gut Lärchenhof this week seeking to defend his Linde German Masters title which this year boasts a record prize fund of 2,700,000 euro.
Twelve months ago the young Spaniard produced two stunning putts in a sudden-death play-off with Padraig Harrington and Ian Woosnam to capture his second European Tour title in only his first six months as a professional. Victory came just a week after Garcia made his Ryder Cup debut and he returns to Europe this week for the first time since the Open Championship and launches his 2001 Ryder Cup campaign.
Joining him in Cologne are no fewer than eight of his Ryder Cup team-mates from the 1999 Match - Andrew Coltart, Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Paul Lawrie, José Maria Olazábal, Jarmo Sandelin, Jean Van de Velde and Lee Westwood.
Westwood, the current leader of the Volvo Oder of Merit following his victory in Belgium, goes into the event chasing a record-equalling sixth European Tour title of the season.
And with the tournament carrying one of the largest purses of the season most of Europe's leading contenders are in action as the race for the Volvo Order of Merit title nears its conclusion. One notable exception is the current number two Darren Clarke, whose wife Heather is expecting their second baby this week.
Westwood is 69,333 euro (£52,437) ahead of Clarke while Montgomerie, number one for the past seven seasons and the winner of the Linde German Masters two years ago, has his sights set on victory to close the gap at the top. Thomas Björn, forced to withdraw from the Belgacom Open last week with a foot injury, is hoping to be fully fit to continue his great run of form this season.
The field is augmented by the presence of seven major champions - Lawrie and Olazábal being joined by Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Vijay Singh and Ian Woosnam. Between them they have won 19 major championships.
Indeed Langer, a winner of 37 European Tour events and a further 26 worldwide, will be attempting to win his fourth Linde German Masters title and eleventh title in his native Germany.
The field also boasts 23 of the season's champions in the starting line-up.
1st round tee-times
