It may have been a year ago, but the memories have come flooding back for Ewen Ferguson as he prepares to defend his BMW International Open title.
Last July, the Scot arrived in Germany after struggling for full fitness in recent months due to bouts of vertigo but he was left fighting back the tears as he claimed his third DP World Tour title at Golfclub München Eichenried.
The emotional side of his win was only made more significant as it secured him a spot in The Open on home soil at Royal Troon and saw him join illustrious countrymen Sandy Lyle and Colin Montgomerie as a winner of the BMW International Open.
Now, with two top fives in his last three starts, Ferguson is glad to be back on a happy hunting ground as the European Swing reaches its climax.
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"To win any BMW event, and especially the International Open here in Munich, it’s a very special event," he said.
"It’s got so much history to it. Some of the winners, there’ve been some cracking Scottish winners in there as well.
"And last year, it was Bernhard Langer’s last event too, so there was a lot of emotion around the crowds. To be the person that won that tournament was very special.
"I just remember being soaked and wet on the first tee — pouring rain, grinding away, thinking, 'right, come on, let’s get out there and try your best'. And then just the feeling toward the end, thinking, 'is it going to be mine?'.
"And even now, it goes by so fast. Even now I look back at the photo of me with the trophy and think, 'Crikey, I won that.' It’s just brilliant. What a trophy, isn’t it?"
While a victory has so far eluded him this season, he has built momentum and arrives in Germany without a missed cut in his last eight starts on the 2025 Race to Dubai.
Ferguson is one of seven players still in with a chance of winning the European Swing, which would earn him entry into every event on the Race to Dubai's Second Phase, the Back 9, and a US$200,000 bonus.
At ease in the Bavarian capital in what Ferguson describes as a “feel-good event”, he is hoping he has plenty of reason for cheer as the week progresses with his 29th birthday due on Sunday.
“Confidence is good," added Ferguson, who will play alongside Patrick Reed and Eugenio Chacarra over the opening two rounds. "I feel good about everything. I’m working on my game. I’ve had a chance to win this year, I’ve had a top five, and I’ve been quite consistent.
“That’s been quite satisfying — even when I’ve played badly, I’ve still kind of managed to put up a decent result.
“So, I know that when it’s going well and I get a hot putter, I’m one to give it a go. So we’ll see what happens.”
