| Munich,
Germany, 27th August 1998 -
Thomas Bjorn came back from a mid-season slump to shoot an eight-under-par 64
in the first round of the BMW International Open on Thursday. The
Dane, winner of the Heineken Classic and Spanish Open this year, went within two
strokes of the Nord Eichenried course record to lead by a shot from two Germans,
his playing partner Sven Struver and Thomas Goegele. England's
Russell Claydon is two shots off the lead. Bjorn
lies fourth in the European order of merit but, apart from an eighth place in
the British Open, has flagged over the past three months. He will need to win
in Munich to even challenge for second place. "If
I want to win orders of merit I have to focus myself to play well throughout the
season," said Bjorn after compiling nine birdies following a bogey on the
second. "I
did well early in the year but then I expected too much of myself and things didn't
happen because of it. "Winning
the order of merit is nearly as good as winning a major because you are part of
golfing history, so I want to do it. Bjorn
made last year's Ryder Cup team only by squeezing in at the last event, last year's
BMW International, and he said he had no intention of running that close next
year. "I
know Ryder Cup points start next week but I feel if I carry on playing well I'll
get into the team without worrying about getting the points on the board as soon
as I can. "Last
year I was lying second on the table and I forgot to focus on my career. I started
worrying about making the team instead of thinking about winning, making sure
I didn't finish lower than 10th in the table. "If
you think about winning and do it then it makes it easy to get into the team."
Struver, who
provided a sharp-shooting three-ball with Bjorn and Claydon, was happy just to
be playing after being struck on the hand by one of his pro-am playing partner's
clubs on Wednesday. The
German needed treatment and painkillers on Wednesday but still had a sore right
wrist while shooting his 65. | 
