Filip Mruzek is excited to be back playing on home soil this week at the D+D Real Czech Challenge as he aims to help inspire the next generation of golfers in the Czech Republic.
The European Challenge Tour has been a regular visitor to the Czech Republic over the past decade and again features two tournaments in the country on its schedule this year.
Mruzek is set for his ninth appearance at the D+D Real Czech Challenge and knows that he has a big role to play in continuing to put his homeland on the golfing map.
“We didn’t have that many tournaments before in the Czech Republic. It is the 11th anniversary this year [of the D+D Real Czech Challenge],” he said.
“But to have two on the Challenge Tour and one on the DP World Tour (D+D Real Czech Masters) in a country that has never been that famous for golf is nice.
“It is not England or Scotland where you are used to having big tournaments. I think it is good.
“There are more younger players starting to play golf. They see that we are playing well as in Ondrej Lieser or me or Jan Cafourek.
“We are getting there a little bit, maybe slower than we wanted but we are showing that a guy from the Czech Republic can play great golf and play at the highest level.”
The 31-year-old may have missed the cut on his first Challenge Tour start of the season in the Netherlands in May, but he is likely to be at an advantage over many in the field this week.
Panorama Golf Resort is staging the D+D Real Czech Masters for the first time this week, but while the venue may be unfamiliar to most, he has previously won at the venue.
Mruzek will be hoping he can translate those memories into a strong performance as he looks to mount a good run of performances in a bid to earn a full category on the Challenge Tour at the end of the season.
Asked what his main goal is this year, he said: “I think I have been forcing the thought of winning in my head too much in previous years. I want to win everywhere I go.
“I have only played one Challenge Tour event so far this year in Holland. But I have played two events in the Czech Republic and won both of them, so the game is good.
“I believe this season could be the one where I play consistent golf and, in the end, have the results to earn a full card for the Challenge Tour next season and then focus to go a level up to the DP World Tour."
