Lynn seeking badly needed inspiration

Defending champion David Lynn is looking for some inspiration as he returns to the scene of his last victory.

Since winning the Portugal Masters at the Oceanico Victoria Golf Club in Vilamoura 12 months ago the 40-year-old’s best finish was joint-21st at the Omega European Masters a month ago.

Lynn has juggled events on both sides of the Atlantic this season and that has contributed to him not performing consistently on either tour but he hopes familiar territory will help give him a kick-start.

“You see the shots you were hitting last year and relive those moments,” he said. “I am hoping there is going to be some sort of inspiration again to get me going this week.

“I suppose there is a little bit of extra pressure (as defending champion) but every week comes with its own pressure as you put pressure on yourself to perform week in, week out so I’d like to perform again this week.”

Italian Francesco Molinari is another searching for some form on a course he has performed well on in the past, having never finished worse than 38th in seven appearances and being runner-up in 2009 and 2010.

“I feel I’ve been playing okay all year but not getting the scores I’d like, so it’s time to push on and to try to have a good, strong finish to the year,” said the 31-year-old, who has missed only two cuts on the European Tour but has recorded just two top-ten finishes.

Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington, double Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal and former Open champions Paul Lawrie and Darren Clarke are in the field this week, as is last week’s winner of the Dunhill Links, Oliver Wilson.

While the European Tour, unlike its American counterpart, has yet to start next season there are already some changes afoot on the 2015 schedule after Volvo announced they were ending their sponsorship of two major events, the World Match Play Championship – which this year takes place at The London Club next week – and the South African-based Golf Champions.

IMG, who organise and promote a number of events on the European Tour, confirmed the World Match Play would go ahead next year but they were looking for a way to keep the Volvo-sponsored South African event in the calendar.