Thomas needs to be Bjorn again

Thomas Bjorn is trying to find a way out of what he calls “the worst stretch I have ever had in my life”.

While Paul Broadhurst, Nick O’Hern and Maarten Lafeber returned to the K Club near Dublin today sharing the lead in the European Open, Bjorn was back at his Surrey home fighting off “demons”.

The 33-year-old pulled out yesterday after playing six holes in four over par.

“I just can’t face being in a tournament situation at the moment,” he said. “I still have as much love for this game as I have ever had, but I want to get away, sit down and think about what I need to do.

“I work hard on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and then on Thursdays it just all seems to collapse.”

Bjorn is now a doubtful starter in next week’s Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, but insists he is “100% convinced I will be at the British Open”.

He has returned to Europe after he missed the halfway cut in four of his last five tournaments in America, including the Masters and US Open. He was a cumulative 53 over par in them.

“The last three or four months have been awful. I am fine health-wise, but I am fighting some things on the course and I don’t feel comfortable out there. I need to sort it out,” he said.

“I am confused about what is happening and while I know it can change quickly I am starting to think about skipping this year – not taking it off, but disregarding the results.

“I am putting myself under so much pressure to perform week after week, but it is getting worse.

“When you are working as hard as I am courses like Shinnecock Hills (venue for the US Open) and here it knocks you and knocks you.

“This is not where I want to be mentally and I don’t want to go on doing it. I want to get away and when I come back I want to be prepared and ready to play.

“It can’t get much worse and I will keep working hard, but golf is not everything in life. A lot of players have been in this situation and they understand what is happening.

“I just can’t face the tournament situation. I am fighting demons at the moment.”

Bjorn had a first major title in his sights 12 months ago but bogeyed the 15th, took three to get out of a bunker on the 16th and then after that double bogey dropped another shot at the 17th and lost by one to unknown American Ben Curtis.

“I have got to live with what happened,” he said afterwards, “and the only thing I can do is try as hard as I can to win a major.

“I can’t live in the past. It is easier said than done, but I think I have got through it quite well.”

He has yet to win since, though. A week later he lost a play-off for the Irish Open, in October he lost in the final of the HSBC World Match Play to Ernie Els - that still earned him £400,000 (€600,000) – and in January he was runner-up in the Johnnie Walker Classic.

But since then, he has fallen to 29th in the Ryder Cup standings and the way he is talking a third cap in September for the man who helped Europe triumph at Valderrama in 1997 and The Belfry two years ago will be some achievement.

David Garland, director of European Tour operations, said: “Having spoken to Thomas on the course we are sympathetic towards his retirement from the tournament and look forward to his return to competition in the near future.”

Three others – Ryder Cup team-mate Pierre Fulke (wrist), tournament committee chairman Jamie Spence (groin and foot) and France’s Jean-Francois Lucquin (shoulder) – also walked in before completing even nine holes.

And then after the round, Peter Baker, having taken nine on the 18th and 83 in all, withdrew with stomach trouble and Stuart Little scratched with tennis elbow. He too had slumped to an 83.

Broadhurst, without a win for nine years, O’Hern, without a European Tour victory at all but second in the French Open on Sunday, and Lafeber, the reigning Dutch Open champion, posted five-under-par 67s and led by two overnight from US Open champion Retief Goosen, David Howell and Lee Westwood.