Bjorn eyes hat-trick

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn is targeting his third BMW International Open title after a remarkable turnaround in fortunes.

Just over a month ago Bjorn stood on the 18th tee at St Andrews needing only a bogey to make the halfway cut the Open, but ran up a double-bogey six after carving his drive out of bounds, missing probably the widest fairway in golf.

That followed his final-round 86 when leading the European Open at the K Club, which included a nightmare 11 on the 17th hole where he drove into the water three times.

It looked as though Bjorn was again struggling with the “demons” in his game which caused him to walk off the course after six holes of the 2004 European Open.

But after some hard work on his swing the 34-year-old amazingly finished second in the USPGA Championship at Baltusrol, a round of 63 equalling the lowest ever recorded in a major.

And after a first-round 66 at Nord-Eichenried yesterday, the former Ryder Cup star is poised to challenge for a hat-trick of victories in Munich.

“It’s nice to come to venues where you have done well and I come here with a lot of confidence from those two weeks in America,” Bjorn said.

“I have worked hard on my golf swing and it has come into action a bit sooner than I hoped.

“The USPGA was an important week for me after St George’s (he blew a two-shot lead with three to play in the 2003 Open) to get into that position and feel comfortable in that position. I take a lot of confidence from that.

“I now know I can look the best players in the eye and take them on. I have gone close in the Open and now I know I can go close in the American majors as well.”

Bjorn’s 66 left him in a nine-way share of fourth place, one behind overnight leaders Angel Cabrera of Argentina, Holland’s Robert-Jan Derksen and Australian Brett Rumford.