As the European Tour traverses its way through continental Europe for some of the most historic events on the schedule, we bring you the lowdown from this week’s stop, the KLM Open.
Rewind
Last year, a young Belgian by the name of Thomas Pieters confirmed his status as one of world golf’s most exciting stars as he followed up his maiden victory at the D+D REAL Czech Masters with a second triumph in as many appearances at Kennemer Golf and Country Club.
Pieters was class personified as he began the final day two shots off the pace, but rallied to a five under par final round 65 to finish one stoke clear of Englishman Lee Slattery, who missed a four foot par putt at the final hole to force a play-off.
Now a three-time European Tour winner – following his recent Made in Denmark victory – and a member of Darren Clarke’s European Ryder Cup team, Pieters’ star has risen to heights even his biggest supporters may have struggled to predict.
This week marks his first appearance since being chose as one of Clarke’s wildcard selections for Hazeltine, so it is sure to be an exciting and memorable week for the defending champion.
The field
Pieters is joined in the field by his Ryder Cup team-mate for the showpiece in Hazeltine, Chris Wood, as the Englishman makes his ninth appearance the Netherlands’ national open hoping to improve on his best finish of a share of 11th place back in 2010.
Byeong-hun An, meanwhile, makes his first appearance in a regular European Tour event since last May, when he defended the BMW PGA Championship title he won back in 2015, only to be dethroned by the aforementioned Wood.
Home favourite Joost Luiten returns to the tournament he won so gloriously in 2013, when he became only the second home winner after Maarten Lafeber in 2003 since the event became part of the European Tour International Schedule in 1972. Luiten will be making his first regular European Tour appearance since July’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, having played The Open Championship, USPGA Championship and the Olympics in between.
Lafeber also plays, as do his fellow former champions Peter Hanson of Sweden and Englishman Simon Dyson, while the European Tour’s most recent winner, Alex Noren, is also in the field following his Omega European Masters triumph last week.
The course
Exciting times this week for The Dutch, as it hosts its first European Tour event having only opened its doors in 2011.
A member of the prestigious network of European Tour Destinations, The Dutch’s signature Championship course was designed by Europe’s 2010 Ryder Cup-winning Captain Colin Montgomerie, in conjunction with European Golf Design.
Groundbreaking construction techniques were used to create a dramatic and undulating landscape, featuring rolling fairways framed by imposing, gorse-clad mounds. Inland-links in style, The Dutch also boasts smooth, lightning-quick greens.
Complemented by an awe-inspiring clubhouse, it is sure to be a popular venue with the players this week.
Did you know?
• Kennemer Golf and Country Club witnessed a marathon play-off in 1989, when José María Olazábal claimed victory at the ninth extra hole, beating Roger Chapman and Ronan Rafferty. The Englishman bogeyed the first hole and was eliminated. Olazábal and Rafferty went a further eight holes, before the 1994 and 1999 Masters Champion took the title with a double-bogey six.
This play-off still stands as the longest in European Tour history, and was matched by the 2013 Open de España, which also went to nine holes. It was Rafferty who had the final word, as the Northern Irishman holed a five foot putt to win the Volvo Masters and pip Olazábal in the race to be crowned 1989 the European Tour’s Number One, with the Spaniard finishing the season in second place.
• The KLM Open has a unique place in the history of the European Tour. Seve Ballesteros (1976, aged 19 years and 121 days) and Paul Way (1982, 19 years and 149 days) both took the title, meaning this tournament was the first to witness two teenage winners. Noh Seung-yul (2010, 18 years and 282 days) and Matteo Manassero (2011, 17 years and 363 days) have since won the Maybank Malaysian Open as teenagers.
• Since the event became part of the European Tour, only two home players have won. They are: Maarten Lafeber (2003) and Joost Luiten (2013).
• First played in 1912, this will be the 97th playing of the KLM Open. The event is one of only seven tournaments to be played every year since the European Tour’s first year in 1972. They are: The Open Championship, Open de España, Open de France, Italian Open, Omega European Masters, PGA Championship and KLM Open.
• Defending champion Thomas Pieters will be looking to continue his wonderful run of recent form. He was fourth in the Olympic Men’s Golf Competition, second in the D+D REAL Czech Masters and first in the Made in Denmark. He is a total of 40 under par for these tournaments.
• The KLM Open is being played at The Dutch for the first time. Since the European Tour’s first season, the Colin Montgomerie-designed venue will be only the seventh different course to stage the tournament.
