Struggling players look to perform at Nordea Masters

Q-school grads are running out of events before the first re-rank of the season.  Last season, the re-rank occurred the week after the U.S. Open (BMW International Open).  If that holds true, the Lyoness Open will be the last event prior to the re-rank.  While playing opportunities for the qualifying graduates, especially those far down on the list, have been sparse, there have been success stories.  Italian Marco Crespi, who finished 3rd at the 2013 Final Stage of Qualifying School, won the NH Collection Open, a dual-ranking event counting for both the European and Challenge Tours.  Englishman Daniel Brooks, who finished 19th at q-school, won the Madeira Islands Open, also a dual-ranking event, in what ended up being a fog-shortened, 36-hole event.  Others have made great starts to the 2014 campaign, such as Thomas Pieters (68th on the Race to Dubai), who lost out in a playoff at the Open de Espana two weeks ago; Wade Ormsby (71st), who has two top-10s; Carlos del Moral (82nd), who continues to play well following a poor season in 2013; and Fabrizio Zanotti (85th), who is looking to make last season's 140th finish a distant memory.  These four players are looking good to be the top-four on the re-rank.

For others, it's been a tough start to the season, with starts few and far between.  These players have not been eligible for the upper-echelon tournaments on Tour, often gaining entry into lower purse events.  Out of 24 completed events, several players have played in less than half.  John Hahn, Adrien Saddier, Brinson Paolini, Simon Wakefield, Mikael Lundberg, Alastair Forsyth, and James Heath (10 events each); Estanislao Goya, Adam Gee, Jack Doherty (9 apiece); Mikko Korhonen (eight); and Patrik Sjoland (seven).  So this week's €1,500,000 Nordea Masters in Malmo, Sweden, and next week's €1,000,000 Lyoness Open in Atzenbrugg, Austria, will likely be do or die for these players far down on the Race to Dubai.

How this year's q-school grads have fared (ranking based on finish at 2013 Qualifying School):

1. Carlos del Moral (8 made cuts/13 events, 82nd on Race to Dubai, €146,593)
2. Fabrizio Zanotti (7/13, 85th, €144,691)
3. Marco Crespi (7/13, 66th, €189,169)
4. Gary Stal (9/12, 110th, €99,759)
5. Mikael Lundberg (4/10, 181st, €22,160)
6. Adrien Saddier (4/10, 118th, €89,124)
7. John Hahn (5/10, 109th, €100,441)
8. Connor Arendell (3/8, 186th, €19,072)

9. Wade Ormsby (9/12, 71st, €169,701)

10. Stuart Manley (5/12, 102nd, €114,775)

11. James Morrison (9/11, 125th, €77,669)

12. James Heath (2/10, 207th, €13,150)

13. Simon Wakefield (5/10, 138th, €59,105)

14. Jens Dantorp (7/11, 137th, €62,308)

15. Brinson Paolini (4/10, 163rd, €34,953)

16. Patrik Sjoland (4/7, 206th, €13,855)

17. Kevin Phelan (4/11, 129th, €68,765)

18. Andreas Harto (0/11)
19. Daniel Brooks (9/11, 94th, €132,491)
20. Thomas Pieters (3/12, 68th, €184,452)
21. Lucas Bjerregaard (9/11, 107th, €105,423)
22. Jason Knutzon (5/7, 144th, €51,545)
23. Mikko Korhonen (4/8, 148th, €48,552)
24. Estanislao Goya (4/9, 179th, €24,080)
25. Jack Doherty (2/9, 237th, €6,000)
26. Adam Gee (4/9, 188th, €17,490)
27. Alastair Forsyth (5/10, 168th, €32,631)

News and notes

• This week's event is the Tour's flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship, held at the Wentworth Club in Surrey, England.
• It is the 60th anniversary of this event.
• Defending champion Matteo Manassero will look to triumph over a field that comprises 17 of the world's top-50 players.
• World number 10 Rory McIlroy comes into the event with a notable distraction, having recently ended his engagement to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.
• The pre-tournament favorite, in my opinion, is Justin Rose (T14, T8, 5, T4 in his past four global events and also lost in a playoff here in 2007 and finished second in 2012).
• Several Europeans will look to gather much-needed Ryder Cup points this week, most notably Lee Westwood, Francesco Molinari, Jonas Blixt, Stephen Gallacher, Manassero, Paul Lawrie, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Joost Luiten, and Ian Poulter.
• There always seems to be an off-the-radar player who gets himself into contention, maybe even win, such as Simon Khan (winner in 2010) and Eddie Pepperell (T6 last year).  Who will it be this time around? 
• There has been much debate over the changes Ernie Els made to some of the greens a few years ago, so it will be interesting to see if the debate continues on this week with players.
• With the world's top-50 being exempt into this event, it's only a matter of time before a top American plays.
• Here are some notable groupings for the first two rounds (Round 1 tee time/Round 2 tee time):

(8:00/12:30) Darren Clarke, Thongchai Jaidee, Padraig Harrington

(8:15/12:40) Thomas Bjorn, Retief Goosen, Stephen Gallacher

(8:25/12:50) Sergio Garcia, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Martin Kaymer

(8:35/13:00) Charl Schwartzel, Henrik Stenson, Luke Donald

(12:20/7:50) Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Chris Wood, Alvaro Quiros

(12:30/8:00) Joost Luiten, Peter Hanson, Simon Khan

(12:40/8:15) Francesco Molinari, Ian Poulter, Jonas Blixt

(12:50/8:25) Matteo Manassero, Justin Rose, Lee Westwood

(13:00/8:35) Ernie Els, Jamie Donaldson, Rory McIlroy

• Reigning US Amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick of England will turn pro following this year's U.S. Open.  His first event as a professional will be the following week's Irish Open.  Fitzpatrick has signed with International Sports Management (ISM), headed by Chubby Chandler.  Fitzpatrick will look to earn his European Tour card from seven invites, similar to what Rory McIlroy did when he first turned pro.