Advertisement
Advertisement

Bjorn banishes demons in quest for Open glory

Dane is back in the swing mentally and favourite to ace the pack for the title

Thomas Bjorn looked down the first fairway yesterday and didn't see any demons lurking behind a tree or waiting in the water. All he saw was a patch of grass where his ball would land. With a new mindset, the Dane is ready to live up to his favourite billing and win the US$1 million Volvo China Open this weekend.

Bjorn, who famously quit a tournament earlier this year with six holes to play because of 'inner demons', has rediscovered the art of playing golf again - and the desire.

The tournament, which starts at the Silport Golf Club today, is the beneficiary because Bjorn wouldn't be in Shanghai otherwise. He would be relaxing at home with his family - like he usually does at this time of the year.

The 33-year-old will tee off today as the favourite, something he was used to until his world fell apart in the summer.

'Anytime you stand up on the tee and see trouble instead of seeing what you have to see, you have got to put a stop to it. I didn't want to go out there, fighting myself. You are not fighting your golf, but fighting with yourself - you don't have any belief.'

Bjorn said his confidence was in pieces and trying to put them back only made it worse.

'You start losing your swing and you lose confidence by not playing well. You try to work your way out of it and you don't get the results from all the hard work. It starts knocking you and you just can't find your way. You lose belief. You start questioning yourself and searching for things to put a stop to it.

'I'm a strong believer that golf always starts with your technique. So I went back to all the lessons I have learned and all the swings I have on video since 1994. I went through them looking for the things I do well. You always backtrack, find a good point in your career and see what you did right.

'When I went through all these things I really felt down on myself. There are bundles of players who go through this and I can sympathise with them. I saw it closely with Lee [Westwood] and I know him so well. It was so hard for him and everyone around him. If it goes on for two years you run out of things to say. This is a guy who at his best was the second-best player in the world.'

Bjorn disappeared off the scene for five weeks and when he came back it was solely with the intention of preparing himself for 2005.

But he found 2004 wasn't over by a long way. A second to Ernie Els in Ireland, an 11th in the Volvo Masters Andalucia at Valderama in Spain and a seventh-place finish in Japan last week catapulted him back into the public's consciousness.

'Ireland was special. That's the best I have ever played. I came up against one of the best players in the world and he was playing some of the best golf of his life.

'I know that when I get my head together I can be right there. That was a bonus in Ireland and every week since has been a bonus. In mid summer it was always about trying to make a cut and I've never been in that situation. Now I'm playing to win again,' Bjorn said.

'What seemed lost in the middle of summer has certainly come back. It was just a question of getting it together. I'm playing some really good golf again and the rounds are coming down in good numbers.

'I just really want to play. That's the reason I've come out here,' said Bjorn.

The field in Shanghai holds no fears for the Dane, who came agonisingly close to winning the Open Championship at Royal St George's last year.

He led with three holes to play before finishing second to American Ben Curtis. 'I look at the field and I have to say there is no one there that I can't beat. I feel ready to go out and perform, but I know as well as anyone that the best player doesn't always win.'

Post