Former Ryder Cup star Des Smyth believes he’ll feel right at home this week as the WINSTONgolf Senior Open is played on the unique WINSTONlinks course at the German golf complex for the first time.
Since its inaugural year in 2012, the WINSTONgolf Senior Open has been played on the parkland course in Vorbeck, but has moved to the David Krause-designed ‘inland links’ course for 2016, something which Smyth believes will work to his advantage.
“I’m a natural links player,” said Smyth. “I play all my golf at home on links courses, and I play a lot of golf at County Louth, where the Irish Open has been held on a couple of occasions. I’ll feel very comfortable out here.
“A lot of people have said it’s a very challenging course. It is links designed and plays like a links, even though we’re not near the sea.
“They’ve done an incredible job to get it the way they have. It’ll be an interesting week and there will be some good stories on Sunday, that’s for sure.”
After a disappointing start to the season at the SSE Enterprise Wales Senior Open, the Irishman has enjoyed a resurgence in form, finishing tied fifth at the Acorn Jersey Open, and tied 12th at the Swiss Seniors Open.
“I’m very happy at the moment, because I felt as though I played awfully in Wales,” he said. “Everything seemed wrong, and I did make some changes. I changed to a different putter and a different sort of stroke, I went from the long putter to the short one.
“When I was practising, it felt awful and something in my swing felt awful. So I took a different putter out and in the last two tournaments, I’ve played very well.
“It’s nice to know in my head that if I’d have holed a few more putts in Jersey or Switzerland I might have won. It’s a nice feeling to have, and I’ve not had it for a long time.
“I’ve never had any trouble making changes to my game. Whatever I’ve been doing, I’ll stick with it for the next few weeks.”
Smyth, who has represented Europe twice in the Ryder Cup, said he is delighted to welcome ten-time Ryder Cup player Bernhard Langer back to the European Senior Tour as the German goes in search of a first home victory in 15 years.
Langer, who also captained the European Ryder Cup team in 2004, will take part in his first Senior Tour event of the season when he tees off in his native Germany on Friday.
“We’ve got the number one over-50s player in the world this week,” Smyth added. “He’s absolutely killing it over in America and we’re delighted to have him back in Europe whenever he comes over to play.
“But we won’t be doing him any favours out on the course.”
