2004 Jimenez wins in Munich

The BMW International Open was first contested on the European Tour back in 1989 and the 6,963-yard Nord-Eichenried course has staged 13 of 17 of them over the years.

It's been a perfect host - always in great nick and boasting its fair share of testing holes.

But as technology has progressed, so the Tour pros have had the better of Nord-Eichenried.

Generally, scores are low on the Munich par-72 parkland layout with a couple of the par fives comfortably reachable in two blows.

In 2001, John Daly brought it to its knees with a 27-under-par winning total, so expect the halfway cut to be somewhere in the region of two or three-under-par again this time round.

EASIEST HOLE: The par-five 18th is a sharp dog-leg left but with Tour players these days shaping their shots like rubber-bands it seems to have presented few difficulties.

A three-wood draw around the trees will set up a comfortable three-iron or so into the good-sized green at the 568-yard hole.

There is a ditch running across the fairway but it shouldn't come too much into the majority of the field's thinking.

Last year's Reuters Stats showed it averaging at 4.56 shots a time.

HARDEST HOLE: The 490-yard par-four 14th averaged 4.46 strokes, according to the Stats from 2004 when Miguel Angel Jimenez triumphed, and is a tricky proposition no matter who you are or what your form is.

A large ridge across the centre of the fairway 250 yards or so from the tee means that the pros have to lay up with a three-wood or low iron leaving them a hefty 230-yard approach to the green.

There are also bushes left and bunkers right of the fairway to keep the nerves twitching on the tee.

The green is reasonably well-sized but if the wind is blowing it still makes quite a tough target for a solid, three-wood second.

Generally a strong field with European big-wigs Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington, Fredrik Jacobson and Paul Casey gracing the event last year.

Throw in last year's US Open champion Retief Goosen and we should have an enthralling, birdie-laden week in store.

Information: Reuters Stats