Open Champion Todd Hamilton of America and eight of the 2004 European Ryder Cup Team, in addition to European Captain Bernhard Langer and his assistants Thomas Björn, Anders Forsbrand and Joakim Haeggman, will line up in the Linde German Masters at Gut Lärchenhof this week.
For Hamilton it represents his first return trip to Europe since his unforgettable victory in The 133rd Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon when he held the world’s greatest golfers at bay, defeating Ernie Els in a play-off.
The final event before the European Ryder Cup Team board the Virgin Airbus bound for Detroit, carries a prize fund of €3,000,000 and all those Team players present will be looking to capture the top prize just days before The 35th Ryder Cup Matches unfold at Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Township, Michigan, USA.
Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez in particular is the form horse and he will be chasing a second title on German soil in the space of three weeks following his stunning victory in the BMW International Open, his fourth victory of the 2004 season. Having finished runner-up last year the Spaniard will be aiming to go one better.
Ian Poulter and Paul McGinley are also back in Germany after resting last week after the tense finale to the Ryder Cup qualifying race. Those not present include Lee Westwood, whose wife Laurae gave birth to a baby girl Poppy Grace on Monday, and David Howell, who withdrew suffering from a cold. Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald are both resting this week ahead of The Ryder Cup.
Korean KJ Choi returns to Gut Lärchenhof to defend his title having enjoyed an impressive season in which he finished third in the Masters Tournament in April. Twelve months ago Choi, the World Number 25, wrote his name in the annals of European Tour history when he became the first Korean golfer to triumph on The European Tour International Schedule when he posted a final round of 67 for a 26 under par total of 262 to win two from Jiménez.
Langer, who co-promotes the tournament with his brother Erwin, will be putting his Ryder Cup Captaincy to one side this week as he tries to win the title for a fifth time following previous victories in 1989, 1991, 1997 and 2001.
