Bjorn backing Euro tour

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn believes the European Tour has a strong future despite an increasing number of players spending more time in the United States.

Several Ryder Cup stars – the likes of David Howell, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Padraig Harrington and Thomas Levet – have been in America for the last 10 days or so as they prepare for next week’s US Open at Winged Foot in New York.

It has led to concerns being expressed by, among others, Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam about the dilution of the game in Europe.

However, Bjorn is confident the tour can operate fine with its major stars frequently crossing the Atlantic – in fact he thinks many of them could have benefited from being at the BA-CA Open in Oberwaltersdorf near Vienna which starts today.

The European Tour has returned to Austria for the first time in 10 years and the immaculately-presented Fontana Golf Club will present a real test, according to the Dane.

“It is going to come down to very strong iron play and putting,” said the two-time Ryder Cup winner, whose promotion of European golf this week sees his homeland host the Thomas Bjorn Open – which the 35-year-old is supporting financially.

“The greens are very fast – they remind me of the quality of Augusta they are that fast, and they are as undulating as Augusta.

“You need to be in control of your irons and ’on it’ with the putter. It is important to come in and putt on difficult greens – which is good preparation for next week.”

Bjorn has no worries about the strength of European golf continuing to grow.

“We have star potential in the likes of Sergio Garcia, Luke Donald and Paul Casey and it looks like there is a generation behind them starting to emerge with people like Nick Dougherty,” added last month’s Nissan Irish Open winner.

“These players are going to be the stronghold of European golf and they will continue to support the European Tour.

“The Americans like to see everyone playing in America. I don’t think they will get very far with that.

“As long as it is possible to do both (play on the PGA and European Tours) this tour will go the way it has always done and get around the problem.”

Bjorn tees off later today alongside Miguel Angel Jimenez but the lack of stars – Colin Montgomerie and Paul McGinley are the only other two household names – means there is more pressure on the Ryder Cup quartet.

“There are probably four or five of us expected to do well this week. Other weeks you ease your way into the tournament but from day one there is going to be an expectation on a few players to take control,” added the Dane.