Edfors puts himself in contention
Every Ryder Cup race throws up some unexpected names – but only a clairvoyant would have come up with that of Johan Edfors.
The 30-year-old Swede is up to 13th place, however, after his shock victory in the British Masters at The Belfry yesterday – his second win in six starts.
Entering this year Edfors was 410th in the world rankings and had just made his seventh visit to the European Tour qualifying school.
Not only that, but his best finish in a tour event was ninth.
Even coming to The Belfry, having captured the TCL Classic in China, the long-haired Malaga-based player was 194th in the world and not even close to being considered a candidate for September’s match at the K Club near Dublin.
But now he has beaten nine of Europe’s last side, plus reigning US Open champion Michael Campbell, for a €437,949 cheque that more than doubles his career earnings.
New Zealander Campbell was second with a round to go, two behind Paul Casey, with Darren Clarke one further back in third.
All three stars, though, had a shocker. Campbell shot 76 and yet still out-scored the other two by two.
Edfors took advantage thanks to 25-foot birdie putts at the 15th and 17th, the first of them hitting the hole so hard it jumped up in the air before dropping in.
“It’s been a fantastic year for me,” he said. “After winning the Challenge Tour in 2003 I thought I had the game, but I realised I didn’t.
“I wasn’t good enough. Some aspects were far too poor. I lost my card, changed my coach and have made a lot of changes.”
Casey, who had been hoping for a second successive win at The Belfry three years apart, said: “Things just didn’t go the right way. I hung in there as good as I could and it wasn’t good enough unfortunately.
“The ball was just not coming off the putter very well and that was probably the most frustrating thing.”
He was three clear with nine to play, but chose to go for the green on the par-four 10th, where the tee was pushed forward 50 yards, and double-bogeyed after going in the water.
“The five-wood wasn’t far off from being absolutely perfect and I think it was the right decision,” he added.
“It was 10 yards too far left, as simple as that. But that’s the game I play and mistakes are going to happen as The Belfry is one of those courses where danger is lurking.”
Campbell commented: “The middle of the round was strange as I lost my focus. The double on nine came from nowhere and caught me off guard.
“But the week is not all that bad – it’s not all doom and gloom. I know that I am slowly building confidence and this will help for the US Open.”
He defends the title at Winged Foot near New York on June 15-18.
Order of Merit leader David Howell finished with a 68 for 11th place, but is not certain to play this week’s Irish Open.
Howell played at The Belfry after a month off with back trouble and, while pleased with his performance in the circumstances, it was not pain-free.
“I’m not right yet. It’s not like I can’t swing, but I don’t have freedom in my swing and I am protective of it,” he said.
“There are some big events coming up, but there’s no guarantee if I don’t play this week that I’ll improve.”
