Sweden’s golfers were conspicuous by their absence from The 2004 Ryder Cup in the United States, but that unexpected scenario will certainly not be repeated in 2006. In fact, such has been the success of the Swedish contingent this season that four – or more – of their number could conceivably be involved at The K Club.
This week, all the leading Swedish contenders for places in Ian Woosnam’s European Team will be in action on home territory, aiming to use their knowledge of Barsebäck Golf & Country Club to the north of Malmö, and the encouragement of the traditional large galleries, to their advantage in the EnterCard Scandinavian Masters.
Henrik Stenson – the highest ranked Swedish player in the Official World Golf Ranking – will hope to go one better than in 2005 in Stockholm, when he lost out in a sudden-death play-off to Australian Mark Hensby, and the 30 year old will spearhead an impressive home challenge.
Johan Edfors, Niclas Fasth and Robert Karlsson, all champions on The 2006 European Tour International Schedule, will participate alongside Carl Pettersson – winner of the Memorial Tournament on the US PGA Tour this year – and crowd favourites Fredrik Jacobson and Jesper Parnevik.
Stenson’s win in The Commercialbank Qatar Masters in January was the first of seven European Tour titles for Sweden so far this year, setting a record for the country’s tally of victories in a single season and showing the overall strength of golf in Sweden at the present time.
Of course, half of those victories have gone to the hugely impressive Edfors, who followed his maiden victory in the TCL Classic in China with further success in The Quinn Direct British Masters at The De Vere Belfry and The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, while Fasth won the Andalucia Open de España Valle Romano.
But on current form, the most striking of the home challengers is Karlsson, who followed up his victory in The Celtic Manor Wales Open two months ago with another stunning victory in last week’s Deutsche Bank Players’ Championship of Europe at Gut Kaden in Hamburg.
This year sees the tournament returns to Barsebäck Golf & Country Club for the eighth time but for the first time with Nordic banking firm EnterCard as title sponsor. Staffan Östlund, Managing Director of the Scandinavian Masters, said: “EnterCard is the most creative and expansive company of its kind on the market, and is a perfect match for the Scandinavian Masters. We are looking forward to successful co-operation with EnterCard and bid them welcome to the Masters family.”
In the 15 year history of the event, three players – Colin Montgomerie, Jesper Parnevik and Lee Westwood – have claimed the prestigious title on more than one occasion but none of the illustrious trio ever won in consecutive years, the closest being Montgomerie who won two of his three titles at Barsebäck in 1999 and 2001.
Hensby the 35 year old Australian has the chance to retain his title following a superb performance at Kungsängen Golf Club 12 months ago where four rounds in the 60s saw him tie at 22 under par 262 with home favourite Stenson, before beating him at the second hole of a sudden-death play-off.
Unquestionably, EnterCard are aligning themselves with a tournament which possesses a rich history and an impressive Roll of Honour for, as well as the previous winners mentioned above, Major Champions Nick Faldo and Vijay Singh have also claimed the title in the past.
