| Stenson has one eye on Ryder Cup spot as he plays BMW Asian Open
Henrik Stenson has one eye on the European Ryder Cup team as he looks to pick up more crucial points at the BMW Asian Open this week.
The Swede enjoyed his most successful season to date in 2007 when victories at the WGC-Accenture Match Play and Dubai Desert Classic helped him to a career-best fourth place on European Tour Order of Merit.
A fine start to the current season had seen him climb to the top of the European Tour Order of Merit until Trevor Immelman's success at the Masters -- where Stenson finished 17th -- which has put the South African in pole position.
Stenson is currently third on the world list for Ryder Cup qualification; comfortably inside the top five that will secure a place on the European team come Aug. 31.
In 2006 Stenson capped a fine Ryder Cup debut when he holed the decisive putt to ensure that Europe retained the trophy, and the 32-year-old year-old is hoping he will once again have the chance to play in the 2008 event.
"It has been a great start," Stenson said. "I wanted to try to make sure I started strongly again and I have had a couple of second-place finishes and a top 10 and I played really well at the match play and then at the Masters the other week.
"Obviously, it is a big year this year as it is Ryder Cup year," he added. "I really enjoyed my experience in Ireland -- that is definitely one of, it not the highlight of the year for me and I'm trying my hardest to get my points up and make sure I am on that team again."
Despite three top-three finishes this season, Stenson is still looking for his first victory of the year.
He is one of the favorites to lift the BMW Asian Open trophy this week, but his task will not be easy with the likes of two-time U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen and defending champion Raphael Jacquelin also in attendance.
Stenson has yet to win the tournament, though he came close two years ago when he lost out in a playoff to Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.
"My game is moving in the right direction, but it is either your week or it is not," he said. "All you can do is try and give yourself a chance and I hope I can come into the back nine on Sunday and be in the mix.
"Obviously you would rather be five ahead than two behind, but if you play well enough to be up there then you have always got a chance on the final day."
Jacquelin, meanwhile, is hoping he can make a successful defense of his title in order to improve his place in the world rankings. The Frenchman, who is playing only his second tournament after a month away from the game for personal reasons, is currently 114th in the world.
"My goals are the same goals as the last five years," he said. "That is to get in the top 50 in the world. "I am over 100 at the moment so it is not very good, but we all know you can jump with one good result." |