The European Tour and European Challenge Tour remain in Austria for the Euram Bank Open at Golf Club Adamstal this week. Here, we take a look at five things you need to know ahead of the 2020 edition.
European Tour Debut
The Euram Bank Open will make its debut on the European Tour this week as the tournament marks the second dual ranking event in a row with the European Challenge Tour.
Following the Austrian Open, the third staging of the Euram Bank Open becomes just the second in each Tour’s return to action following a four-month pause due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Elevation plays a key role at GC Adamstal
With a total of just 6,476 yards, GC Adamstal is one of the shortest courses on the schedule, but still remains an exacting test of players’ creativity and course management due to its rolling hillside location.
Set in lower Austria’s alpine foreland, the scenic golf course demands precision distance control as club selection is tested by the relentless undulations, elevation changes and thinner air found at 1,135m above sea level.
History of low scoring
Germany’s Marcel Schneider finished last week’s Austrian Open one shot behind winner Marc Warren and will return to the Euram Bank Open full of confidence after becoming one of three players to tie the course record of 62 at GC Adamstal in 2019.
Schneider posted six birdies and an eagle to take a three-stroke lead after round one last year, eventually ending the tournament tied for 14th. Borja Vito, who had been the first to card a 62 during the inaugural Euram Bank Open in 2018, was then matched by Antoine Schwartz and Pontus Widegren last year before France’s Julian Quesne shot a record breaking 61 on Sunday.
Schneider is joined in the field by both Vito and Quesne this week.
Challenge Tour roots
This week marks the 27th time the Challenge Tour has held a tournament in Austria, and while the Euram Bank Open is in just its third staging, GC Adamstal has a deeper history of hosting Tour events.
Rafa Cabrera Bello claimed his first professional title here during the inaugural Man NO Open on the Challenge Tour, played from 2006 – 2008, going wire-to-wire with rounds of 61-68-66-69 to win by two shots over Austrian Niki Zitny.
Anders Hansen followed with a three-stroke triumph around this year’s host venue the following year, before Andre Bossert beat out Markus Brier in a play-off to deny the Austrian a fifth home victory. Brier is back in action this week, having missed the cut at the Diamond Country Club.
A new champion guaranteed
Darius van Driel earned his maiden Challenge Tour title in Austria during the Euram Bank Open in 2018, enduring an epic final day battle between Joachim B. Hansen, Sean Crocker and David Law, who he bested by a stroke.
He was followed by Scotsman Calum Hill, who claimed a convincing second Challenge Tour win with a final round 66 to win by four.
However, neither van Driel or Hill are in the field this week, guaranteeing a new champion in the Austrian hillside.
