Home favourite Joost Luiten will be up against some of the world’s top golfers from September 13-16 when he goes in search of a third title at the KLM Open.
Yesterday it was announced that the Dutch golfer will take on 23-time European Tour winner Lee Westwood, four-time European Tour champion Bernd Wiesberger, and rising star Shubhankar Sharma in his home open later this year.
Tournament director Daan Slooter confirmed that these four stars name will tee it up in the 99thedition of the KLM Open at The Dutch, in Spijk.
Luiten, who triumphed in the event in 2013 and 2016, is intent on seeking revenge after his early exit in 2017.
England’s Westwood, a seven-time Ryder Cup winner who lifted the KLM Open title in 1999, will be full of confidence on his return to the Netherlands where he finished in joint third place last season.
India’s Sharma has enjoyed a remarkable season thus far, with the 21 year old having already won two tournaments to leave him in second place in the Race to Dubai.
The young hotshot received a special invitation from Augusta National to play in the Masters Tournament this year and he will now be making an appearance in the KLM Open too.
Austria’s Wiesberger returns to the Netherlands with unfinished business. In 2016 he was a runner-up behind Luiten so will fancy his chances of claiming a fifth European Tour title in the Netherlands in September.
“The Dutch is a challenging course,but when I when I play well I can win the KLM Open,” said Luiten.
“This is the case for all top competitors. But I proved that I can win in 2016. You have to avoid making mistakes from the tee. It is a very narrow course. So, if I do that well and my putter is on fire, then I can win. And I have good news, the 2016 putter is in the bag again.
“I have to win my this summer to climb high enough in the Ryder Cup rankings to stand a chance. But again, that is the case for all good European players. Winning one of the Rolex Series tournaments is the best and easiest way. For that I have to play really well.
“So yes, my Ryder Cup dream still stands and hopefully that is not a dream anymore at the end of the year.”
Following a very successful first two editions, the ‘Beat the Pro’ competition is returning for this year’s tournament. The concept was introduced by TIG Sports at the KLM Open in 2016 and was, at the time, a first on the European Tour, and due to its enormous success it is now a fixed feature.
Any amateur who manages to hit the ball closer to the hole than the pros wins a KLM flight to a European destination of their choice. Amateurs need to qualify for this special experience – for more information contact Simon Keijzer:simon@tigsports.nl
