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Stenson eyes pole in BMW Asian Open
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Stenson eyes pole in BMW Asian Open

Henrik Stenson will be aiming to regain pole position on The European Tour Order of Merit when he returns to action in China for the BMW Asian Open at Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club this week.

Stenson, overtaken by Trevor Immelman at the top of the Order of Merit after the Masters Tournament, will be joined by former European Tour Number Ones Retief Goosen and Greg Norman in an impressive line up for the first of three BMW sponsored events of the year, where Raphaël Jacquelin defends the title.

World Number 13 Stenson is back in Shanghai on unfinished business after a near miss two years ago. The Swede led the 2006 BMW Asian Open after three rounds and moved three clear of the field with ten holes to play. But he found trouble off the tee on the ninth on his way to a triple bogey eight. After losing the lead he battled back and birdied the last to force a play-off with Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, but the Spaniard emerged victorious after a sublime chip at the first extra hole for a winning birdie.

Stenson, who will be making his eighth appearance in Shanghai, said: “Of course it is never fun to lose a play-off, but I know I can play well at Tomson Golf Club. I am very motivated to try and go one better this time.”

This year, Stenson finished in the top ten in his first five events on The European Tour International Schedule and will be mounting another challenge to add to his six European Tour titles, which include the BMW International Open in 2006.

On his last outing he claimed a top 20 finish in the Masters Tournament, finishing tied 17th at Augusta National alongside Goosen, another of the top draws in Shanghai.

The two time US Open Champion and Order of Merit winner in 2001 and 2002 has also been showing signs of form this year, notably in finishing joint runner up in the World Golf Championships – CA Championship, and will be aiming to improve on his equal 15th finish on his BMW Asian Open debut last year. Among Goosen’s 32 victories worldwide are two in China, in 2005 and 2006, at the Volkswagen Masters.

“The quality of golf courses is fantastic,” he said. “I thoroughly enjoy playing courses in China and in front of the enthusiastic golf fans there. The people are very hospitable and I personally like to support those countries and companies that are putting an enormous amount of time and energy into promoting golf on the global stage.

“Tomson Pudong is a tough driving course, you need to drive straight. I enjoyed playing it and I hope to do better than my last visit.”

Defending the title is Jacquelin after his wire-to-wire victory 12 months ago. It was his second European Tour title and, after returning to action last week after a month away from the game, will be hoping for a strong defence to continue the run of success enjoyed by his countrymen of late, highlighted by the recent victories of Thomas Levet and Grégory Bourdy.

“I am really looking forward to it,” he said. “Of course I will try to defend the title but I haven’t played much after taking a month off. I like the course. Apart from being doused in champagne last year, I played very nice from the start to the end. I gave myself lots of chances of birdies and will try again. And if I hole a few putts I will have a good week. Last year I had a good run, finished second in Portugal, sixth in China and won the BMW Asian Open. I was in good form. I can’t say it is the same this year as I haven’t played for a month but you never know in this game. I just need to get some rhythm.

“I enjoy playing all the BMW events and have had a lot of success in them, winning various prizes and then the big one last year. They do very good tournaments. I like playing in China and the BMW events so everything should be good.”

Norman is making a rare foray onto The European Tour, competing for the first time since he finished joint seventh in the South African Airways Open at the end of last year. The Great White Shark is the only golfer in history to be Number One on both sides of the Atlantic, winning The European Tour Order of Merit in 1982 and topping the US PGA Tour Money List in 1986, 1990 and 1995. He won the Open Championship twice, at Royal St George’s in 1993 and at Turnberry in 1986, the year where he led all four Major Championships going into the final round, and was accorded Honorary Life Membership of The European Tour in April 2000.

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