PIETERS GETTING BACK ON TRACK

Belgium’s Thomas Pieters believes an improved attitude has helped get his game back on track.

The 30-year-old who won in Abu Dhabi in January and registered two top 10s in May arrives in Germany for the BMW International Open on the back of a joint-27th finish at the US Open.

At Brookline he was inspired by a maiden major victory for Matthew Fitzpatrick, his former Ryder Cup team-mate and housemate at last month’s US PGA, and wants to carry some positivity into this week at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried.

“We were in a house together at the US PGA Championship, I saw him in contention and how calm he was on Saturday evening, Sunday morning and then to do it at the next major is impressive,” the world number 35 said.

“It gives me motivation to see him get over the line for European golf. I feel like I am really close (to returning to my best).

“My putting has been really good and that has been the missing link. I am driving it a lot better and my attitude is a lot better. I arrive at tournaments and I am looking forward to contending. I have won twice in the last eight months so I am going in the right direction.”

American Billy Horschel plays his first BMW International Open debut as the event’s highest-ranked player at number 14 while – at the other end of the scale – Brighton-born Laird Shepherd, 24, will make his professional debut after concluding his amateur career at the US Open.

This week the first five players, not otherwise exempt, in the top 20 of the DP World Tour rankings after the weekend will guarantee themselves a place at next month’s Open Championship at St Andrews.

Oban’s Robert MacIntyre and Aberdonian Richie Ramsay will be joined in Munich by fellow Scots Stephen Gallacher, Marc Warren, Connor Syme, Ewen Ferguson, David Drysdale and Craig Howie.