European Tour Insider: Langer chasing history

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Bernhard Langer has already won four times this year on the Champions Tour.

The European Tour motors into Germany this week for an elite event: the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne.

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A star-studded 78-man field will compete at Gut Larchenhof, including the likes of Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and former Masters champion Trevor Immelman.

The tournament attracts big crowds and inevitably the focus will be on a home favorite, Bernhard Langer.

He may now be over 50 and a regular on the Champions Tour, but he still has the tremendous ability to mix it with the younger guys, and already on the European scene this season, he's registered top-10 finishes in Hong Kong and Munich.

Langer has won this event four times in its previous guise as the German Masters, including a victory over this course in 2001. Yet the course itself makes him question his ability to win this week.

Last year's Champions Tour leading money winner and current front-runner believes it is "definitely possible" for him still to win on the European Tour, but feels the course may now be one for the long hitters, and accepts he will not be able to reach the par-5s in two like others in the field.

If he does win, though, he will be the oldest winner and first over-50 to win on the Tour.

ABSENTEES
Sadly, a couple of Europe's finest will be missing the event.

European Tour Podcast

Robert Lee and John Hawksworth recap the Omega European Masters, preview the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne, and offer a golf tip from Anthony Wall of England. Click to listen

Robert Karlsson cannot defend the trophy he won 12 months ago, because of a continuing eye problem. He had wanted to return to the venue, but accepts that returning too soon could put too much pressure on the eye. He aims to be back in full practice next week, and available for the Vivendi (Seve) Trophy in two weeks time.

Martin Kaymer would undoubtedly have been one of the favourites, but he continues to recover from his go-karting accident.

Favoritism goes to Westwood who shot a 61 over the course two years ago, though he had to miss last year with tonsillitis. Fellow Ryder Cup star Soren Hansen will expect a bold showing too, having won the title in 2007.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Sweden's Alex Noren will be looking to become the season's third back-to-back winner, having claimed a maiden victory at last week's Omega European Masters in the mountains of Switzerland.

The Oklahoma State graduate has long been touted as one of the rising stars in Europe, and a 20-under total at Crans-sur-Sierre saw him realize his potential.

His caddie Colin Byrne -- who saw major success with Retief Goosen -- voiced what many believe: "It's a huge victory, and probably the first of a lot of them for him."

"It means so much that I know I can win." Noren said. "It doesn't matter how many guys say you have the game to win, when I know I can that's when it means something."

Noren is, of course, looking to get better and better. He's also looking to get stronger. He regrets any day when he fails to get to the gym, and has a target: "One of my goals is to be able to do 10 chin-ups; I'm at 14 now."

His gym at his hotel in Germany has left him disappointed, though. "It's smaller than a normal bathroom," Noren said.

A lot of sports stars write blogs these days and many of those aren't worth a second glance, but if I may let me recommend: blog.aftonbladet.se/alexandernoren

You can get to know one of Europe's future stars even better.

WELSH WIZARD AT CELTIC MANOR
Alex Noren now heads the Ryder Cup points list to decide who competes for Europe at the Celtic Manor Resort next year.

Bradley Dredge, a Welshman, is in second place, and hopes to maintain or better his position throughout the long year. Colin Montgomerie has spoken about how good it'll be to have a home favorite on the team in Wales.

Dredhe pushed Noren all the way on Sunday in Switzerland, and came close to repeating his win of three years ago.

"There are four Welsh guys who could possibly raise their game and get into the team, and it would be great for the Ryder Cup to get one of us in it."

AMERICAN LINKS
Fellow Oklahoma alumni Pablo Martin waited to greet Alex Noren as he left the presentation ceremony last week, and the third-place finisher also has a U.S. collegiate link.

England's Ross McGowan got to know the two of them well when he was at the University of Tennessee. "We always seem to play well in the same events," he said. "It's quite strange. On the fiddly golf courses when you have to hit the ball well it seems to suit us."

McGowan is spurred on by Noren's success. "Seeing someone of a similar age, a peer you consider yourself level with, it's inspiring," he said.