Senden … course “fits my eye”

JOHN SENDEN heads a list of eight Australians playing in the 2012 John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois the week, but he will be the only one hopping across the Atlantic afterwards to contest the British Open.

Many like to have the week off before a major but Senden is hoping his return to a tournament he won in 2006 will give him added impetus.

“There is a really nice run of the bigger events coming up in the back end of the season and I’m ready to really get back into it,” the 41 year old said after having three weeks off at home in Queensland.

Senden has been one of Australia’s best performers on the US PGA Tour in the first half of the season but the John Deere Classic remains his only win in the US.

“For some reason this place just really fits my eye,” he said of the TPC Deere Run layout. “It’s a good scoring course so it gives you the chance to really feel good about yourself if you can make plenty of birdies. It’s also just a good lead up for the Open Championship, I’m fresh from a little break, but I’m also feeling pretty good about what I achieved at the US Open (where at T10 he was the top placed Aussie) and looking to go forward from there.”

He will have his work cut out for him though with the hot favourite Steve Stricker, who has won the tournament for the past three years in a row.

At world No.12, Stricker is also the top ranked player in the field with No.17 Zach Johnson next.

The other Australians in the field are Steven Bowditch, Matt Jones, Nathan Green, Mathew Goggin, Nick O’Hern, Stuart Appleby, Rod Pampling and Gavin Coles.

The 2012 John Deere Classic is being telecast in Australia on Fox Sports beginning Friday 5am to 8am.

2012 John Deere Classic Leaderboard