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Lynn hoping memory of victory will inspire new success

Carl Markham,Pa
Thursday 09 June 2005 00:00 BST
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David Lynn, the defending KLM Open champion, hopes a return to the scene of his maiden European Tour victory in theNetherlands today will bring out the best in his game again.

Last year Lynn shot a superb six-under-par final round of 66 to overhaul the Australian Richard Green's three-stroke advantage and see off a late challenge from the Ryder Cup player Paul McGinley.

The 31-year-old from Stoke returns to the short but tight, tree-lined Hilversumche Golf Club looking to build on his joint-eighth finish at the Wales Open at Celtic Manor last week - his first top-10 placing of the year.

"It meant a lot to get my first win under my belt and realise a dream. It was a great feeling coming down the last and the crowds were great," Lynn said of his victory last August.

"To actually win the tournament and not be given it was a plus and defending the title will be a nice experience. I'm sure I will get some nice feelings walking around the course again regardless of what happens.

"I played fairly good the first two days last week but didn't play well over the weekend but there were some good signs for two days, which is encouraging.

"If I can get a buzz going out there, then I can get my form going and if I can play the first two days like last week, it will be good."

Last year's event, in the height of summer, was notable for some lightning-quick greens but Lynn has already noticed some changes. "The course is different this year. I played six holes last night and the rough is really tough," he said. "It is also playing a lot longer. It won't dry out much to play much faster so it won't be like last year."

The Dutch tournament is one of the oldest events in continental Europe, dating back to 1912, and boasts Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Jose Maria Olazabal, Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood among its former winners.

However, this year's champion will not be in the same class as the tournament has suffered from its place in the schedule - the week before the US Open at Pinehurst in North Carolina. As a result the quality of the field has been reduced dramatically.

The Liverpudlian Nick Dougherty and Sweden's Peter Hanson, already European Tour winners this year, withdrew after qualifying for the second major of the year on Monday.

The New Zealander Michael Campbell also came through qualifying at Walton Heath which leaves the Dane, Anders Hansen, 101st in the world, as the highest-ranked player in the tournament.

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