Sep 20, 2016: This week, the European Tour returns to Germany for the 34th edition of the impressive Porsche European Open, a tournament which was first played at Walton Heath’s Old Course in 1978. Anirban Lahiri and SSP Chawrasia are in the field this week at the Golf Resort Bad Griesbach.
Rewind
Twelve months ago, Thongchai Jaidee won his seventh European Tour title with a flawless final round at the Porsche European Open. The Thai star led by one shot overnight, and maintained that slender advantage after a steady, rather than spectacular, four under par 67.
It was Graeme Storm who posed the most serious challenge, but the Englishman found water off the 17th tee and, although he managed to save par from ten feet on the 18th, Jaidee clung on with a neat up-and-down on the 72nd hole for an aggregate winning score of 17 under par.
In the process, the former paratrooper became the oldest winner of the tournament, aged 45 years and 323 days.
Bite-sized history
In 2015, the Porsche European Open returned to the European Tour International Schedule after a six-year break. This year is the 34th edition of a tournament which was first played at Walton Heath’s Old Course in 1978, when it was won by Bobby Wadkins.
Since Wadkins’ win, some of the game’s greatest players have lifted the trophy, including Major Champions Sandy Lyle, Tom Kite, Bernhard Langer, Greg Norman, Ian Woosnam, Sir Nick Faldo (twice), Darren Clarke and Retief Goosen. Lee Westwood was the last player to successfully defend the title, winning in 1999 and 2000 at The K Club in Ireland.
The field
Home hero Martin Kaymer will make his final appearance before departing for Hazeltine National, where he will represent Europe in The Ryder Cup for a fourth successive time. Ryder Cup debutant Thomas Pieters is another player who will hope to fine tune his game in Germany ahead of golf’s greatest team event.
The duo will be joined at Golf Resort Bad Griesbach by South African Ernie Els, who is making his first appearance in a regular European Tour event since the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in February. The former Open Champion’s last European Tour victory came on German soil, at the 2013 BMW International Open. Eight-time European Tour champion Thongchai Jaidee will aim to mount a successful defence of his title.
The course
Golf Resort Bad Griesbach, which played host to a European Tour event for the first time in 2015, is Europe’s largest golf resort with six courses.
The European Challenge Tour had previously visited the resort from 2013-15, when the Aegean Airlines Challenge Tour by Hartl Resort was played there. The course being used for the Porsche European is the Beckenbauer Course. Named after Germany’s World Cup winning footballer, Franz, it measures 7,188 yards from the back tees.
Did You Know?
• When Porsche first put its name to the European Open 12 months ago, the German company became the 19th different car manufacturer to sponsor a European Tour event.
• In 2015, the Porsche European Open became the sixth different European Tour event to be staged in Germany.
• Ernie Els is making his first appearance in the Porsche European Open since 1994, when he finished in a tie for 14th place.
European Tour Release
