Niclas Fasth, a six-time winner on The European Tour International Schedule, and Andres Romero, one of the most exciting talents to emerge in world golf in recent months, will both be aiming for a unique ‘Deutsches Double’ when they line up in the Mercedes-Benz Championship at Gut Lärchenhof from September 13-16.
The Swede and the Argentine respectively triumphed on The European Tour’s previous visits to Germany in 2007; Fasth in the BMW International Open in Munich in June, while Romero captured The Deutsche Bank Players’ Championship of Europe in Hamburg in July.
The history books show that no player has ever captured the BMW International Open and the Mercedes-Benz Championship, or indeed the Deutsche Bank tournament and the Mercedes-Benz Championship in the same season, so both players will be looking to add their names to the record books when they form part of an elite field at the Gut Lärchenhof course to the north west of Cologne.
For the Mercedes-Benz Championship will comprise a starting line-up of 78 players, those eligible being winners of European Tour Order of Merit events in the 2007 season up until September 10, 2007; players ranked within the top 75 of the Official World Golf Ranking at August 13, 2007; the leading 60 players from the Order of Merit as of September 3, 2007; and five invitations. There will also be no cut.
The Mercedes-Benz Championship will also continue the traditional Tour competition staged by Langer Sport Marketing since the launch of the German Masters in 1987.
Fasth ensured a return ticket to Germany following his thrilling victory at Golfclub München Eichenried where he held off a stirring final day charge by home favourite Bernhard Langer to triumph by two shots. This followed a fine performance in the previous week’s US Open Championship at Oakmont Country Club where he finished fourth, his best finish in a Major Championship since he took second place in The 2001 Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Romero booked his place in the tournament following his impressive three shot victory at Gut Kaden and went on to prove he could hold his own amongst the world’s best when he finished in a tie for sixth place in the World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Ohio at the beginning of this month.
His swashbuckling style of play and happy-go-lucky attitude on the golf course have endeared him to many and the current Number 27 on the Official World Golf Ranking has admitted he is not about to change.
“I am going to play the way I know best,” he said. “I know I make some bogeys but I also make a lot of birdies. If courses that I play have a lot of trouble I will take care, but I am going to play it my way.”
Romero’s fellow countryman Angel Cabrera, who inspired all golfers in his homeland with his success in the US Open Championship, has also entered the event.
“I love the way Angel plays the game and after he won the US Open, he opened all the doors for the Argentine golfers and it got me thinking, I had better do my share now!” said Romero. “I am very grateful to Angel. Because he won the US Open, I have even more confidence to play good golf.”
The South American duo are part of a truly international field at Gut Lärchenhof which comprises Major Champions and Ryder Cup players as well as an abundance of European Tour winners.
From Asia there is HSBC Champions winner YE Yang; from the United States there is two time Major winner John Daly; and from Australasia there is Richard Green, winner of the BA-CA Golf Open in Austria in June.
Meanwhile from Europe, there is a host of talent from the youth of Estoril Open de Portugal winner Pablo Martin of Spain and the host nation’s own Marcel Siem – who, together with Langer captured the World Cup of Golf for Germany in 2006 – to the experience of Langer himself and the 2007 Smurfit Kappa European Open champion Colin Montgomerie of Scotland.
Together with his brother and co-promoter Erwin Langer, Bernhard admitted he was delighted with the partnership with the new title sponsor, who were backers of the event from 1990 to 1995, a period during which time, at Stuttgart in 1991, Langer won one his four titles
“Mercedes-Benz is recognised as a sporting brand worldwide and we are thrilled to be in partnership with them again,” he said. “The new concept will provide an exclusive field of players and we will be able to present golf on a very high level in Germany and Europe in the future.”
Adding further interest to the €2 million event is the fact that it is the second counting event towards automatic qualification for The 2008 European Ryder Cup Team who will be aiming for a record fourth successive victory over the United States at Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Kentucky from September 19-21, 2008.
