European Tour Notebook: Stenson now focused on major win With his victory in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship Sunday, Henrik Stenson became the first Swede to win a World Golf Championships event. And now he wants to become the first player from his country to win a major. "You know the two childhood dreams I had? Playing in the Ryder Cup and winning the (British) Open," he said. "But any of the other majors will do." Stenson's victory was his sixth in European Tour-sanctioned events and his first in the United States, and it came hot on the heels of his big win at the Dubai Desert Classic three weeks ago. "I can't say I should be No. 5 in the world, but obviously that's where I am at the moment," he said. "I feel I've established myself as a top-20 player." Stenson became Europe's top-ranked player for the first time in his career only last week, when Luke Donald missed the halfway cut at the Nissan Open in Los Angeles. That moved Stenson up to No. 8, just ahead of Donald, who fell to No. 9. MR. BIG SHOT: Retief Goosen's closing eagle putt to win the Commercialbank Qatar Masters has won him the European Tour's Shot of the Month for January, tour officials have announced. Two behind with two holes remaining, Goosen birdied the short 17th and then made a 30-footer on the last green to leapfrog over Australian Nick O'Hern and claim the title. RECORD PURSE AT BMW ASIAN OPEN: The 2007 BMW Asian Open will offer a record purse of $2.3 million, tournament officials have announced. In addition the event -- the first to be tri-sanctioned event by the Chinese Golf Association, Asian Tour and European Tour -- will remain in China through at least 2008. The 2007 edition of the tournament will be played Apr. 19-22 at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club in Shanghai. The course also will have a bit of a new look for the competitors, as tournament organizers have decided to realign the course so that its 435-yard, par-4 15th hole will play as the 18th for the tournament. "For players and spectators alike, the new 18th hole will make the perfect finish to the BMW Asian Open as it can now be played in front of larger audiences, enhancing the exciting and climactic atmosphere of world-class professional golf for the fans in Shanghai," said Tournament Director Marco Kaussler. Copyright 2007 PGATOUR.com. All rights reserved. |