SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13, 2015 – KLM OPEN
THOMAS PIETERS
• His second European Tour International Schedule victory in his 49th European Tour event.
• Moves to 747,766 points in The Race to Dubai.
• Moved into the top 90 in the Official World Golf Ranking, from 141st.
• Before winning the D+D REAL Czech Masters he was 245th.
• Claims his second victory of the 2015 European Tour season, following the D+D REAL Czech Masters.
• Becomes the ninth multiple winner of the 2015 European Tour season. They are: Branden Grace (Alfred Dunhill Championship and Commercial Bank Qatar Masters), Anirban Lahiri (Maybank Malaysian Open and Hero Indian Open), Andy Sullivan (South African Open Championship hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni and Joburg Open), Rory McIlroy (Omega Dubai Desert Classic and WGC – Cadillac Match Play), George Coetzee (Tshwane Open and AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open), Jordan Spieth (Masters Tournament and U.S. Open Championship), Danny Willett (Nedbank Golf Challenge and Omega European Masters), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Shenzhen International and Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play) and Thomas Pieters (D+D REAL Czech Masters and KLM Open).
• Played his first 47 European Tour events without a victory. Has now won in his last two European Tour events, the D+D REAL Czech Masters and KLM Open.
• Becomes the first player to win in consecutive European Tour appearances since Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational and 2014 US PGA Championship).
• Becomes the first player from Belgium to win twice in the same European Tour season.
• Victory comes in his third appearance in the KLM Open.
• This victory beats his previous performance in the KLM Open of tied 22nd in 2014.
His winning total of 261 (-19) is the lowest total in the history of the KLM Open.
OTHER FACTS
• Becomes the first Belgian player to win the KLM Open since The European Tour’s first season in 1972. (Flory Van Donck did win the KLM Open in 1936, 1937, 1946 and 1951).
• Becomes the youngest Belgian to record multiple European Tour victories, aged 23 years and 229 days.
• Began the final day two shots behind. Is the 16th winner this season to make up a final round deficit and go onto win.
• Won the D+D REAL Czech Masters with a total of 20 under par. Won the KLM Open with a 19 under par score. Is now 39 under par for his last eight rounds on The European Tour.
• The fifth Belgian victory in European Tour history.
• Joins Nicolas Colsaerts and becomes the second Belgian to record multiple European Tour victories.
• Becomes the second youngest multiple winner on The European Tour in 2015, behind Jordan Spieth (Masters Tournament and U.S. Open Championship), who was 21 years and 329 days, when he won the U.S. Open Championship.
• Becomes the fourth different player to win their first two European Tour titles this season. They are: Anirban Lahiri (Maybank Malaysian Open and Hero Indian Open), Andy Sullivan (South African Open Championship hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni and Joburg Open), Jordan Spieth (Masters Tournament and U.S. Open Championship) and Thomas Pieters (D+D REAL Czech Masters and KLM Open).
• Belgium becomes the 13th different country to win the KLM Open since The European Tour’s first season in 1972.
• Gains a European Tour exemption until the end of 2017.
• Gains his largest European Tour prize of €300,000.
• Gains his second win as a professional.
