The continuing strength in depth of The European Tour is further emphasised this week when a dozen Members make their debuts in the World Golf Championships – American Express Championship at the Capital City Club, Atlanta, USA.
In total, 31 Members will line up in the third WGC event of the 2003 season but 12 – Arjun Atwal, Paul Casey, Brian Davis, Alastair Forsyth, Mark Foster, Ignacio Garrido, David Howell, Fredrik Jacobson, Raphaël Jacquelin, Søren Kjeldsen, Hennie Otto and Ian Poulter – will experience the special atmosphere of the WGC – American Express Championship for the first time.
Of the dozen, seven will be playing in a WGC event for the first time – Atwal, Davis, Forsyth, Foster, Howell, Jacquelin and Kjeldsen – and Forsyth summed up the feelings of the group.
“I am really looking forward to playing in my first WGC event,” said the 27 year old Scot who is currently 19th on the Volvo Order of Merit.
“It is the level of tournament just below the Major Championships. I learned a lot in my first tournament in America, the US PGA Championship in August – but I don’’t expect the course to be as severe as Oak Hill Country Club.”
Kjeldsen admitted it was a thrill to be paired with new US PGA Champion, Shaun Michell, in the first round and observed: "This is what I've been working so hard to achieve - the chance to test myself in this company.
"The oppoprtunities are there for everyone on The European Tour. If you can apply yourself and make progress, this is the reward. The facilities and course are fantastic and it's great that so many of us are here for the first time and enjoying ourselves."
Of the 12 Amex debutants, the highest placed on the Volvo Order of Merit is third placed Ian Poulter, the 27 year old Englishman having won twice on The 2003 European Tour International Schedule in The Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open in June and the Nordic Open in August.
But the strength of the newcomers is emphasised with the fact that nine of the dozen – Poulter (third), Casey (eighth), Davis (12th), Jacobson (14th), Howell (16th), Jacquelin (17th), Garrido (20th), and Kjeldsen (22nd) - are within the top 25 on the Volvo Order of Merit.
Foster cannot wait to get started in his first WGC - American Express Championship. He qualified on the strength of finishing second on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit and said: "Winning the dunhill championship in South Africa gave me the springboard to play here.
"It's great to have the chance to judge myself alongside the guys here. it's a quality field and good to know that so many European Tour Members are here too. It's like a home from home! I think you could get a taste for playing in the World Golf Championships and it's certainly where I want to be."
Other debutants to have won on The European Tour this season are: Atwal (Carlsberg Malaysian Open), Casey (ANZ Championship and the Benson and Hedges International Open), Foster (dunhill championship), Garrido (Volvo PGA Championship), Jacobson (Omega Hong Kong Open and Algarve Open de Portugal), and Kjeldsen (The Diageo Championship at Gleneagles).
