Thomas Bjorn wins second event in two weeks

Jose Maria Olazabal could hardly have asked for more from the first qualifying event for his Ryder Cup team.

Thomas Bjorn, enjoying the best season of his life, won the Omega European Masters in Switzerland with one of the rounds of the year.

Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy, two of the stars of last year s win, finished second and joint third, and Lee Westwood, another of the Celtic Manor heroes, was only a shot further back in sixth.

Veteran Bjorn, 40, last played against the Americans at The Belfry in 2002, but is enjoying a career Indian summer.

The Dane won the Qatar Masters in February, was fourth in The Open in July and now has achieved back-to-back victories at Gleneagles and Crans-sur-Sierre.

Back into the world s top 30 as a result eight months ago he was not even in the top 130 Bjorn said: It s been an amazing two weeks.

As for next year s Ryder Cup in Chicago he added: There s a long, long way to go and with the talent we have it s going to take a few more weeks to get there.

Three behind teeing off yesterday, he equalled the lowest round of his European Tour career with a nine-under-par 62, playing the final five holes in five under with an eagle and three birdies.

It gave Bjorn a four-stroke victory over former world No.1 Kaymer.

McIlroy was happy to have put himself into contention in his first week back from hurting an arm against a tree root at last month s US PGA Championship.

I didn t know what to expect coming back off the injury, said the US Open champion.

But the arm was 100% healthy and that s a huge positive.