The Race to Dubai: Contenders from Europe

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Nov. 4, 2008
By PGATOUR.COM Staff

PGATOUR.COM takes a look at European Tour players primed to contend for the Race to Dubai title. To make this list, players must have competed in 15 or more events on the European Tour in 2008. MORE: Contenders from the PGA TOUR

1. Lee Westwood

Always a power on the European Tour, the Englishman had another amazingly consistent year in 2008 with 13 top-10 finishes. He didn't win, but he had four runner-up finishes, including at the season-opening HSBC Champions, and a trio of thirds. Plus, Westwood spends the bulk of his time on the European Tour so he'll be focused on the prize at hand.
PGA TOUR profile | Stats | Results

2. Robert Karlsson

You can't ignore the Order of Merit champion -- the first Swede (other than Annika Sorenstam, of course) to lead the money list on a worldwide tour. The steady Karlsson had a career year in 2008 -- winning twice and finishing in the top 10 on 10 other occasions. He needs to build on the momentum of top-10 finishes in three of the four major championships and continue to push forward.
PGA TOUR profile | Stats | Results

3. Henrik Stenson

A slightly more heralded Swede than his countryman Karlsson, Stenson finished seventh on the Order of Merit. He's a fast starter, with top 10s in his first five events of the season, but the nine-time European Tour champ didn't pick up a victory last season. Ranked No. 12 in the world, he'll likely need to play more than 19 events, as he did in 2008, to contend for the prize at the end of the season.
PGA TOUR stats | Results

4. Darren Clarke

The affable Northern Irishman, who lost his wife to cancer in 2006, got back on track last year. Clarke won twice and made a spirited bid to earn a Ryder Cup berth only to be passed over by European Captain Nick Faldo when it came time to make his picks. A 13-time winner on the European Tour, he would be a popular champion for the Race.
PGA TOUR profile | Stats | Results

5. Graeme McDowell

McDowell's breakout season came in 2008. He won twice, ending a four-year drought, and made his first Ryder Cup Team. The Northern Irishman finished fifth on the Order of Merit and rose to 33rd in the world.
PGA TOUR stats | Results