DID YOU KNOW – KLM OPEN
• Kennemer Golf and Country Club witnessed a marathon play-off in 1989 with José Maria Olazábal claiming 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. However, it was Rafferty who had the final word. The Northern Irishman holed a five foot putt to win the Volvo Masters and pip Olazábal in the race to win The Order of Merit, with the Spaniard finishing the season in second place.
• Martin Kaymer’s victory in the 2010 KLM Open was his second in consecutive appearances, following the US PGA Championship. The German also claimed victory in his next European Tour outing at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. This made the 2010 Race to Dubai winner the last player to win on The European Tour in three consecutive appearances.
• The KLM Open has a unique place in the history of The European Tour. Seve Ballesteros (1976 , aged 19 and 121 days) and Paul Way (1983, 19 and 149 days), meaning this event is the only one to witness two teenage winners.
• The 2009 champion, Simon Dyson claimed his second KLM Open title, beating Peter Hedblom and Peter Lawrie in a play-off. The Englishman became just the sixth player to win the same European Tour twice, both times via a play-off. He joins: Manuel Piñero (1974, 1985 Open de Madrid); Paul Azinger (1990, 1992 BMW International Open); Sir Nick Faldo (1992, 1993 Irish Open); Bernhard Langer (1992, 2001 KLM Open) and Tiger Woods 1999, 2005 WGC – CA Championship) and 2001, 2006 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational).
