The DP World Tour returns to Prague this week as Albatross Golf Resort plays host to the D+D REAL Czech Masters, the penultimate event in the qualification process for European Ryder Cup hopefuls.
Here are your five things to know.
Field in focus
With just next week’s Omega European Masters in Switzerland left counting towards the Ryder Cup qualification process, crunch time has arrived for those looking for a berth in Donald’s team.
After missing out on qualifying for the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Playoffs earlier this month, Shane Lowry returns to European soil to make his event debut.
The 2019 Open Champion has four top 20s in his last five starts on the DP World Tour and will be looking to put in a good performance as he targets a return to the Ryder Cup having made his first appearance at Whistling Straits in 2021.
Robert MacIntyre continues to hold the final automatic qualifying spot on the European Points List, but he is being chased by a host of hopefuls looking to take his place.
Adrian Meronk, Rasmus Højgaard and Victor Perez have all won this season on the DP World Tour and will be looking to impress as will Yannik Paul, while emerging Swedish talent Ludvig Aberg will be looking to star after receiving a tournament invite.
Ryder Cup Captain and Vice Captains in town
European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald will tee it up at the D+D REAL Czech Masters for the first time this week.
With just two events left in the Ryder Cup qualification process, the former World Number One will have a keen eye on players who are in action and could forge part of his bid to regain the trophy in Italy next month.
Donald is also joined by three of his Vice Captains in the Czech capital, with Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari along with Nicolas Colsaerts also in the field.
Like Donald, 2018 Open Champion Molinari – who was announced as the fifth Vice Captain last week – is another set for his first experience of playing in the popular tournament.
Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland have all qualified for Team Europe but who will be hoping to bolster their claims to join the make-up of the team?
Kieffer defends
Maximilian Kieffer, who was one of 13 first-time winners on the DP World Tour during the 2022 season, is this week bidding to become the first player to successfully defend the D+D Real Czech Masters title.
Last year, on his 249th DP World Tour start, the German carded a final round 66 – featuring seven birdies and one bogey – to overturn a four-shot deficit to overnight leader Gavin Green and win by one shot from the Malaysian.
Heavy and persistent rain on the third day forced the tournament to be reduced to 54 holes.
The victory for the 2012 European Challenge Tour graduate ended a wait of 2,849 days since the last German winner on the DP World Tour – Marcel Siem at the 2014 BMW Masters.
Yet, since then the floodgates have opened for one of the powerhouse nations in European golf, with Yannik Paul, Siem and Nick Bachem all since lifting silverware.
Teen star among home contingent on show
Away from the star international names, there are a host of local favourites teeing it up on home soil.
On the back of a top ten finish on the European Challenge Tour in Finland last week, Filip Mruzek will be looking to impress at his home course having finished in a tie for 12th in 2021.
But he isn’t the only one with inside knowledge of this week’s venue.
Amateur Louis Klein turns 14 on Wednesday and returns to the scene of his DP World Tour debut last year, when he impressed over the first two rounds, and now has another chance to play with the best professionals.
Earlier this year on home soil at the Kaskáda Golf Challenge, he became the youngest player to make the cut at a European Challenge Tour event.
Praise for the course
Albatross Golf Resort opened in 2009 and has played host to the D+D Real Czech Masters since its inception in 2014.
Both nines begin with par fives – two of four in total – and with ten water hazards, the course presents a scenic but challenging test in hilly terrain.
Three-time Major Champion Pádraig Harrington is making his fourth appearance in this event, having finished runner-up on debut in 2018, and is a fan of the layout.
Speaking to the DP World Tour in advance of the tournament, he said: “The Albatross Golf Resort has some interesting risk and reward holes, making it an exciting course. Most of the par fives are over water so you can make an eagle but easily mess them up.
“It suits a good and long driver. There are some dangers out there to put you under a little pressure if you are leading the tournament coming down the stretch.”
