Starry European contingent to vie for Volvo China Open

A dazzling line-up of European stars will challenge for honours at the Volvo China Open from April 17-20.

Ryder Cup stalwarts Darren Clarke and David Howell, former British Open champion Paul Lawrie and recent European Tour winner Graeme McDowell are amongst the big guns who have signed up for the US$2.2 million showpiece at the Beijing CBD International Golf Club.

Title holder Markus Brier of Austria and 2004 champion Stephen Dodd of Wales will also make the trip to the Middle Kingdom to chase for a second title.

Northern Ireland’s McDowell claimed his third career victory at the Ballantine’s Championship in Korea last month after outdueling India’s Jeev Milkha Singh in a thrilling play-off.

The 28-year-old will be looking to win a second title in as many months, especially when he came close at last year’s Volvo China Open where he finished tied second behind Brier.

While golf has a saying “drive for show, putt for dough”, McDowell will be looking to drive his way to glory once again as his game has benefited greatly after he put a new driver in his bag.

“I’m driving the ball much better. My confidence is better. My length is back. I was quite a long driver of the golf ball when I was in college and early on in my career. No doubt I lost sort of two, three years into my professional career, I was driving it worse than I ever drove it in my life but I have found a driver right now which is obviously perfect for me,” said McDowell, who has gained some 15 to 20 yards in distance.

Three top-10s since last December has given Clarke, a 10-time winner on the European Tour, the impetus in his career once more after dropping out of the world’s top echelon.

A mainstay in Europe’s Ryder Cup team since 1997, Clarke has not tasted victory since 2005 but a recent run of good form will fuel his desire at the Volvo China Open.

The talented Howell has happy memories of China as he is best known for slaying world number one Tiger Woods in the 2006 HSBC Champions in Shanghai but since that feat, the Englishman has dealt with injuries which blighted his 2007 campaign.

But back to his best fitness again, Howell registered a top-10 in Qatar earlier this season which he hopes will lead to greater rewards when he tees up at the Volvo China Open.

Other winners from the European Tour who will tee up at the Volvo China Open include Sweden’s Peter Hedblom, Finland’s Mikko Ilonen, Raphael Jacquelin of France, Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Paul Broadhurst of England.

Both Jacquelin and Castano have tasted success in China previously and will be aiming to shoot for victory in two weeks time.

The Volvo China Open is sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and China Golf Association.

April 3, 2008

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