European Tour Insider: No time to rest after U.S. Open

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England's Ross Fisher first came to prominence in 2007 where he eventually was beaten in a playoff by Phil Mickelson at the HSBC Champions in Sheshan, China.

Much more recently, Fisher made Paul Casey pull out all the stops with a storming final round in his home event at Wentworth -- the BMW PGA Championship.

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So it's a mark of his progress that Fisher describes his fifth-place finish, which made him the highest-placing European, Monday in the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black as "not bad."

Not so long ago, the woman who is now his wife persuaded him to buy a Lamborghini as a reward for his efforts. It's been a monumental rise to riches for a young man from a working-class background who used to collect the balls off the range at his home club.

KAYMER'S DRIVE

Martin Kaymer is as much of a car fanatic as Fisher. It helps that the young German has BMW among his sponsors.

This week, he defends his BMW International Open title in Munich, and he's been treated to a track day by the organizers. He'll complete a driver-training course and take a very fast spin with their works driver.

He's one of 15 players who were at Bethpage who move on to Nord-Eichenried, and it'll be a welcome change of environment.

The course has a reputation for low scoring, and the players welcome the freedom after the arduous nature of a U.S. Open track. It's still a difficult course if you're playing poorly, but find the fairways and greens in regulation, and the birdie chances will come.

Kaymer finished 15 under last year to become the first home winner, defeating Anders Hansen in a play off.

STENSON AND THE PRINCESS

European Tour Podcast

This week Robert Lee and John Hawksworth review the U.S. Open, where Lucas Glover secured his first major championship. The guys also reflect on the Saint-Omer Open in France -- where Christian Nilsson secured his first Tour win -- and offer a golf tip from Jean Van de Velde of France. Click to listen

World No. 5 Henrik Stenson finished the U.S. Open in style, closing with a 68 to finish ninth in New York, and he hopes he can continue the same form in Munich.

The 2006 champion is a busy man. Not only did he fly back late from the States, he's supporting an event in his home country.

Europe's second tier is in Sweden for an event called "The Princess." Stenson graduated from the European Tour's Challenge Tour and said "My time on the Challenge Tour was so good for me in terms of preparing me for life on the main Tour. To graduate from the Challenge Tour, you have to play consistently well over the course of the season, so it's a real test."

He'll find time to have a little test in an exhibition match in Bastad against Adam Scott on Monday.

ANOTHER SWEDISH WINNER

Stenson's countryman Christian Nilsson has become the latest Swede to win on the European Tour, and it was a mightily impressive performance as he claimed the Saint-Omer Open by six strokes.

He led by four going into the final round in France and saw would-be contenders slip away. Once he'd birdied the ninth and 10th, there was little doubt he'd claim his maiden victory. It was a flawless final 18 for the player who'd finished second the previous year -- and he beat Jose-Filipe Lima who, incidentally, won the last time he played in Saint-Omer in 2004.

Lima hadn't been back in the meantime. Schedules change, and one year he qualified for the U.S. Open. He changed nationality as well. Born in Versailles, he won as a Frenchman, but later adopted his parents' affiliations, so he could play for Portugal. He knows the money he accrued for second place means he'll almost certainly return to the European Tour next season.

Nilsson has ensured his future, too, but celebrations had to wait. He flew back to Sweden and then drove three hours to his home in Karlstad in the center of the country.

He, like Glover, can plan for a trip to Shanghai in November, too.