Five things to know: KLM Open

The European Swing continues this week as the KLM Open returns to The International golf club for the first time since 2019. Here are your five things to know

European Swing continues

Following last week's U.S. Open, the DP World Tour arrives in The Netherlands for the KLM Open, the fourth event in the European Swing.

Running from the Soudal Open to the BMW International Open, the Swing features six counting events in five countries with 3,000 Race to Dubai Ranking points on offer at each and a host of strong incentives for the ultimate Swing Champion.

Starting off in Belgium, Nacho Elvira claimed his second DP World Tour title at the Soudal Open at Rinkven International Golf Club, before Laurie Canter sealed his long-awaited maiden victory on the DP World Tour at the European Open, the first of two events in Germany during this Swing.

The Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed then produced more history as Linn Grant - the only woman in history to win on the DP World Tour - clinched a second Tour title on a dramatic final day at Vasatorps Golfkklub, before Bryson DeChambeau edged out Rory McIlroy to an equally dramatic U.S. Open victory (which is non-counting for the Swing Rankings) at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.

Following the penultimate men’s Major Championship of the season, the DP World Tour now returns to Europe for the KLM Open at The International, before moving down to the Adriatic Golf Club in Italy for the Italian Open presented by Regione Emilia-Romagna.

The final event, which will see a Swing Champion crowned, will see the Tour then return to Germany and Golfclub München Eichenried for the BMW International Open.

Larrazabal defends

Pablo Larrazábal secured his second DP World Tour victory in three starts and ninth in total after producing a big finish to win last year's edition of the KLM Open by two shots.

Larrazábal went into the final round with a one-shot lead after Saturday's spotless 67 but he made a double bogey at the second to see his overnight lead evaporate in the early stages but he recovered with a series of birdies to sit in a five-way tie at the top after 12 holes.

The Spaniard, who had already won the Korea Championship Presented by Genesis in April, then finished with a flourish, birdieing the 15th, 17th and 18th to sign for a closing 69 and finish the tournament on 13 under par.

After his two-shot win, Larrazábal said: "This is an historic trophy, this is one of the best. This is right up there with the most famous trophies we have on the DP World Tour."

The Spaniard now returns to a different venue a year later, having most recently finished in a tie for 13th at the European Open three weeks ago. It was his second best result since his victory last season, having also finished tied fourth at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic back in January.

Returning to the International

The International became the eighth different venue to host the KLM Open since its first outing on the European Tour in 1972 in 2019, and will this week make its second appearance on the DP World Tour.

Located on the outskirts of Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, the course will be played at 6,914 yards, with one notable change from the set-up in 2019 that changes it from a par 72 to a par 71: The 11th will this year play as short 127-yard par three, rather than a 322 yard par four.

In the previous edition, Sergio Garcia triumphed around this venue - which also hosted the Dutch Senior Open on the Staysure Tour (now the Legends Tour) in 2013 and 2014 - but was run close on the final day by a then 18-year-old Nicolai Højgaard.

Inside the field

With 13 players in the field competing on home soil this week, there will be plenty of hope that someone will be able to follow in the footsteps of countrymen Martin Lafaber and Joost Luiten and hoist the KLM Open trophy.

Luiten will attempt to join Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and Simon Dyson as just the fourth player to win this tournament on three separate occasions since 1972, having triumphed in both 2013 and 2016. Eyes will also be on Darius van Driel, who recorded a top ten at the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed in Sweden and earned his first DP World Tour title earlier this year at the Magical Kenya Open.

Elsewhere, a handful of players teeing up this week are making their way back from competing in last week's U.S. Open, including Italy's Matteo Manassero and Edoardo Molinari, and Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin, who appears fresh from making the cut in his first Major appearance.

Three-time DP World Tour winner and 2014 Ryder Cup player Jamie Donaldson will also make his 500th appearance this week, making his first start at the KLM Open since finishing tied 27th in 2019.

History of the event

The KLM Open is one of the DP World Tour’s founding events since its inception in 1972, with its only absence from the schedule coming in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But it was a fixture in golf long before that, first being staged in 1912. Since that inaugural edition more than a century ago, there have been 78 winners from 18 different countries.

Belgium’s Flory Van Donck holds the record for most victories with five, with home favourite Luiten the only multiple winner of the event in this week’s field. Past European Ryder Cup captains Ballesteros, Langer, José María Olazábal and Colin Montgomerie are among those to have lifted the trophy in the event's DP World Tour era.