Austrian Number One Bernd Wiesberger will return home as a four-time European Tour winner when he tees it up at the Lyoness Open powered by Organic+ from June 8-11, after his recent victory at the Shenzhen International in April.
Eight winners from the current European Tour season will also tee it up alongside Weisberger at Diamond Country Club including Brandon Stone, Sam Brazel, Graeme Storm, Jeunghun Wang, Fabrizio Zanotti, Dean Burmester, S.S.P. Chawrasia and Edoardo Molinari.
The experience of Miguel Ángel Jiménez will be on show for Austrian fans with the 21-time European Tour winner already confirmed for the event, along with former Masters Tournament Champion Mike Weir.
Defending champion Ashun Wu is set to return to the course where he triumphed over Spain's Adrian Otaegui by one shot to secure his second European Tour title, along with a strong German delegation with Maximilian Kiefer, Marcel Siem, Florian Fritsch and Bernd Ritthammer.
Matthias Schwab is one of Austria’s biggest hopes in golf, currently Number Four in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and Number Two on the European Amateur Golf Ranking, the young Schladming-born golfer will play his first tournament as professional at the Lyoness Open.
“I spent four years in Nashville at Vanderbilt University. I would say that the time in the US helped me to become more independent and to learn how to take care of myself.
“I got to know new people and made numerous experiences which definitely helped me to get a good perspective of life in Austria.
I am fully aware that some people have great expectations but it doesn’t really bother me. I have my own goals that I work towards.
“It will be my first tournament as professional and I will try to enjoy every moment and get used to the new situation as best as I can. I will give my best and fight for each stroke.”
Meanwhile, 1385 days will have passed on June 8 when Markus Brier tees off at his first European Tour event since the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in 2013.
The 48-year-old is poised to make a noticeable comeback at the Lyoness Open powered by Organic+ and will launch his “warm up program” in Austria as he turns his attention to playing on the European Senior Tour.
“Next year I will start to play on the Senior Tour,” he said. “I have always been clear about one thing should I make this step and that is that I need to prepare thoroughly for it.
“Last November’s Tour School in particular was an eye-opener for me, I did not only play appallingly, but I was also in a bad physical condition. I started to work out again last winter – five to six times per week. I still have one year to go until I can start on the Senior Tour but I want to make good use of this time!
“I have been considering my comeback for quite a while now and I will be in good mental shape when I tee off on June 8.”
For the first time in Austria, Beat the Pro presented by Lignum Tee will take place on Thursday and Saturday during the normal tournament rounds and will give 20 amateurs the opportunity to compete alongside some of the European Tour’s stars on the 18th hole.
Each amateur will hit a ball from the same tee position as the pro’s, and if the amateur’s ball lies closer to the flag than the balls of the pros, the amateur wins and will be rewarded with an attractive prize.
Ali A. Al-Khaffaf, CEO, Golf Open Event GmbH, said: “Golf needs even more of a show element, the spectators need to be entertained. This is what we intend with this challenge.
“It will definitely be a unique experience for the participants who will have the opportunity to challenge the golf stars in front of numerous spectators on site and live on international TV. This is an experience that they will not get very often!”
For the first time Organic+will be the tournament’s presenting sponsor, offering active people a multi-facetted range of nutritional supplements.
Silvia Kelemen Weihs, Head of Public Relations & Corporate Communication of Lyoness, said: “We are happy to be once again the title sponsor of the event. We are continually intensifying our commitment in particular in the field of golf. The tournament offers us the possibility to make our continuously growing range of products, shopping facilities and services available to a broad public.”
