Following the US Open 2009 the leading players return to the European Tour and The Race to Dubai at this weeks event from The Munich Golf Club, Germany, for The German Open. Martin Kaymer will be defending his title and looking to return to the top of the leader board after a modest few months. Leading players hot footing it from New York after a gruelling week are Retief Goosen, Luke Donald, Henrik Stenson and Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Day One is excellent for scoring and South African Goosen leads the way with a 64, followed by England’s Richard Finch with a 66 and a host of players at -5 after shooting 67’s. Goosen continues in the same vein in Round Two and a 68 sees him in for the weekend at -12, only dropping his first shot of the tournament on the 34th hole. Jimenez is putting well and reaches -8. Round of the day is from Scotland’s David Drysdale with a 64 to reach -10. In-form Dane Soren Kjeldsen cards a 65 to sit in second place on -11. England’s Danny Willett, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and South African James Kingston are all at -9.
Bernard Langer's Record in German Open
Graeme Storm makes good progress on moving day with an eight under par 64 and Goosen starts with three birdies in five holes to cement his lead. After thirteen holes Bernard Langer is rolling back the years at -14, six under for the round, bidding to win this tournament for the first time after finishing second five times. Colin Montgomerie makes a hole-in-one on the eighth and James Kingston and Soren Kjeldsen get themselves in the mix at -13. Langer finishes at -15, Dougherty -14 and Goosen two ahead at -17 after only dropping two shots in three rounds.
Nick Dougherty is quick out of the blocks on Sunday with four birdies on the first five holes. Goosen is solid par but things change on the sixth as Goosen birdies and Dougherty bogies after going into the water. Niclas Fasth shoots 63 to climb the leader board and Rory McIlroy is making a charge with five birdies in a row from holes five to nine. Filipe Aguilar and James Kingston get to -16 but there is no magic from Langer. Kjeldsen birdies eleven and reaches -16. Rafa Echenique goes eagle, birdie, birdie on his start to the back nine.
Albatross - A Very Rare bird
Goosen bogies twelve and slips to two behind Dougherty who then birdies thirteen to increase his lead. He holes in from off the green on fifteen whilst Goosen can only maintain at -17. Echenique birdies the seventeenth and then, incredibly holes a 200 yard approach on the final hole to achieve that very rare bird an Albatross at a very opportune time to set the clubhouse lead at -21 and suddenly the pressure is on Dougherty, who at -22 has to par the final three holes to win the tournament and cap the end of a tough year in which he lost his mother. Dougherty duly manages this to win.
See also:
