The Open Season is upon us as the DP World Tour returns after a short hiatus for this week’s KLM Dutch Open.
This event dates back to 1912 as it was first known as the Dutch Open. It joined the European Tour schedule in 1972 and has been a staple ever since.
As many as 13 different courses have played host to this nomadic event. Hilversumsche Golf Club holds the title of hosting the event a record 30 times.
Last year’s installment was played at the Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt.
The International in Amsterdam will play host to this week’s 103rd playing of the KLM Dutch Open. It hosted this event once previously, in 2019.
KLM Dutch Airlines, the sponsor of this week’s event, has been one of the Tour’s most loyal supporters, serving as a title sponsor for the 28th time.
The Field
With The Open just a month away, those on the DP World Tour not yet qualified will use the next few events in hopes to do so.
This week’s field is headlined by PGA Tour regulars Matt Wallace and Luke List who are both ranked among the top 100 players in the world.
Home favorites Joost Luiten and Darius van Driel lead a Dutch contingent looking to claim victory on home soil.
Sebastian Soderberg will also be teeing it up for the first time since his historic eight-stroke collapse in his last outing at the Scandinavian Mixed.
Other notable names teeing it up this week include Laurie Canter, Rasmus Hojgaard, Tom Mckibbin, Bernd Wiesberger, Richard Mansell, Niklas Norgaard and Alex Fitzpatrick.
Pablo Larrazabal comes in as the defending champion, as he held off fellow countryman Adrien Otaegui a year ago.
The Course
The International in Amsterdam, Netherlands will play host this week.
It plays as a par-70 at 6,915 yards and promises to test every aspect of a golfer’s game.
Designed by Ian Woosnam and opened in 2012, the course sits near the Schipol Airport. Some may argue, too close. Fitting though as KLM continues on as the tournament’s sponsor.
In 2014, The International hosted a tournament on the European Senior Tour and also hosted the KLM Dutch Open in 2019.
The International features plenty of water hazards and bunkers to test golfers off the tee. Water comes into play on ten holes and much of the sand comes greenside.
It too features several dog legs and a number of blind shots.
Many of the holes are also bordered by a plethora of mounds, which adds a sense of seclusion on each hole from the rest of the course.
The greens this week are both large, fast and well-contoured. The greens, due to their size, offer a large selection of potential pin positions throughout the week as well.
The 11th hole was a very easy par four during the 2019 playing of the KLM Dutch Open but has since been converted to a par-three for this year’s edition.
In all, most of the golfer’s games will be tested this week. On top of the challenges the course has to offer, golfers too must deal with the noise of planes landing at the nearby Schipol Airport.
The Weather
As of the time of writing this, Friday currently calls for a 80-percent chance of precipitation. Saturday is also calling for a 40-percent chance of precipitation as both Thursday and Sunday look to be clear with a ten and twenty percent chance respectively. Winds will be up this week as well, peaking at 14 miles-per-hour for both Friday and Saturday as Thursday and Sunday call for 11 and 12 miles-per-hour winds respectively. Temperatures too will begin at 68-degrees on Thursday before falling to 65-degrees on Saturday and climbing back to 68-degrees on Sunday.
Key Stats
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (SG: OTT) / Driving Accuracy
Greens in Regulation Percentage (GIR%)
Strokes Gained: Approach (SG: APP)
Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (SG: TTG)
Strokes Gained: Putting (SG: PUTT)
Scrambling
Birdie or Better Percentage
Betting Card
Bernd Wiesberger (+2000)
In recent weeks on the DP World Tour I’ve had some good results. Outside of hitting Nacho Elvira 100/1 at the Soudal Open, I had Soderberger finish T2nd at the Scandinavian Mixed, Paul Warring finish T3rd at the Volvo China Open and of course, Wiesberger finish T2nd at the European Open. I’m back on the Wiesberger wagon this week. We last saw him at the aforementioned European Open where he finished runner-up. Before that, the eight time DP World Tour winner placed top 25 in three straight events. He also placed top 25 in seven of the nine events he’s played this season. He is currently first on Tour in both SG: TTG and scrambling, second in GIR%, fifth in SG: APP, 39th in birdie or better percentage, 52nd in SG: OTT and 120th in SG: PUTT. He can be hit-or-miss with the putter but he’s one of those guys that just needs to putt to even to win. He gained 0.23 strokes putting at the European Open. I’m playing two units on him this week.
Frederic LaCroix (+5000)
LaCroix was an early season darling with his play in the desert early on. He’s come back to earth since but with the way these holes this week are lined with large mounds, many are pointing towards links and desert form for success. If that’s the case, LaCroix placed third at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship and T4th at the Bahrain Championship earlier this season. He also placed T5th at the South African Open. He has made three cuts coming into this week, including a T13th at the Volvo China Open. LaCroix is currently sixth on Tour in SG: TTG, 11th in SG: OTT, 14th in both driving accuracy and GIR%, 19th in scrambling, 24th in birdie or better percentage, 25th in SG: APP and 105th in SG: PUTT. Like Wiesberger, the putter can be hit-or-miss for LaCroix but he’s also a guy that just needs to get to even on the greens to win. I’m playing a unit on him this week.
Paul Waring (+5000)
Waring has been a constant on my betting card as of late and he held the 54-hole lead at the Volvo China open. He followed up his Volvo China Open with a T10th at the Soudal Open. He did miss the cut at the European Open but bounced back with a T33rd at the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed. Waring is currently seventh on Tour in scrambling, 22nd in birdie or better percentage, 26th in both SG: APP and SG: TTG, 28th in GIR%, 34th in SG: OTT, 46th in SG: PUTT and 56th in driving accuracy. He’s a very well rounded golfer that does everything on the golf course well. I think that will play to his favor this week. I’m playing a unit on him this week.
Joel Girrbach (+15000)
Girrbach has become a bit of a fan favorite on the DP World Tour and the Swiss national gave his backers a shout at the Volvo China Open as he finished T3rd. Prior to that he placed T18th at the ISPS HANDA Championship and T13th at the Hero Indian Open. He’s since missed back-to-back cuts coming into this week but we’re playing a guy here at 150/1, he isn’t going to be perfect. Looking back at the desert, Girrbach also finished T20th at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship and T8th at the Bahrain Championship as well. He is currently third on Tour in driving accuracy, 15th in SG: APP, 29th in both GIR% and SG: TTG, 33rd in birdie or better percentage, 47th in SG: OTT, 96th in scrambling and 102nd in SG: PUTT. I’m playing a unit on him as well.
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