BMW International Open top 10 power rankings
The BMW International takes the European Tour to Golfclub München Eichenried in Munich, Germany this week. It’s a welcome return to schedule for European Tour fans following the U.S. Open. The high-power field promises some exciting action, urged on to excellence by a €2,000,000 purse and a BMW i8 Protonic Frozen Black Edition to the first player to ace the par-3 17th hole.
The par 72 track will play 7181 yards this week, just a bit shorter than the 7800+ yards set-up last week at Erin Hills for the U.S. Open.
The field is packed with headliners. Freshly minted Masters champion Sergio Garcia will compete with José Maria Olazábal – could there be another albatross in his bag? – Pablo Larrazábal, Rafa Cabrera-Bello for the loyalties of Spanish fans while Bernd Wiesberger and Martin Kaymer are sure to be local favorites. If he’s not out of gas, Tommy Fleetwood could outplay the entire field but European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjørn, although he didn’t make my top 10 rankings, might emerge as the most exciting dark horse challenger to defending champion Henrik Stenson.
The oddsmakers are giving Garcia the top nod, and I can certainly understand why that’s the case – new major champions are playing hot or they wouldn’t be new major champions. As you will see, however, while I have Sergio in my top 10 rankings I’m not entirely in agreement with the oddsmakers.