And takes a break from traditional venues
One of the oldest golf tournaments in Europe, the Dutch Open, breaks with tradition and heads south to a new venue this year from 8-11 September. Quite literally, the KLM Open “goes Dutch”, fulfilling the dream of a clan of Scottish golf pro’s based in the Netherlands to host a prestigious tournament on their new, and rather exclusive, Colin Montgomerie-designed course, The Dutch, in Spijk.
Spijk? Yes, Spijk. A sleepy village with less than a thousand inhabitants, situated slap bang in the middle of Holland, near Gorinchem in the province of Gelderland. The locals had already enjoyed a round or two of golf here since the first nine hole course opened in the village in 1997. The club was called ‘De Lingewaelsche’ in those days.
Who would have thought back then that these fairways would be making a bid to host the Ryder Cup of 2018 and then, more successfully, attract the KLM Open in 2016?
Made in Scotland
Well, actually, those fairways don’t exist anymore. The course today is a far cry from that of nearly twenty years ago. It has undergone a total transformation. The new owners, Made In Scotland, have moved heaven and earth to rebuild and reshape it into one of the top ten courses of Holland. The Dutch is an exclusive championship golf course with international allure and a hint of the charm of Scotland with its gentle undulations, impeccable greens and vibrant yellow gorse bushes.
It was another Scot, Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie, who was commissioned to design the challenging new ‘inland links’ which opened for play in May 2011. A par-71, 6520-metre layout from the Championship tees of impeccable standard whose hillocks create a natural stadium for spectators.
Like many great players, Monty began to turn his hand to designing golf courses around the world as his impressive career on the European Tour was coming to an end. And what a career it was. Although he never won a Major in those years, he stood like the Eiffel Tower at the top of the European Order of Merit back in the nineties, winning seven consecutive times. In 2005, he added an eighth. He is the most prolific British winner in European history with 31 titles to his name.
Monty, 53, is now teeing it up on the European Senior Tour where he promptly secured his first Major title in his Rookie year – no doubt, the first of many to come!
Message from Monty: “It will be difficult!”
Naturally, Colin Montgomerie speaks very highly of his Dutch creation. In a video message on the club’s site, he says how honoured he feels to be welcoming the KLM Open for the next three years.
“We’ve got probably the best greens that they will find on the European Tour this year. There are a lot of pin positions on the greens which are designed for championship golf. It will be difficult. Technology has come a long way. Today they’re hitting the ball a long, long way. So we need some difficult courses. This is one of them. I hope they enjoy it!”
Short drive for long-hitting Belgians
Talking of long-hitters. Thomas Pieters will be making a short-drive over the border in September looking to defend his title at The Dutch. The 24 year-old Belgian is in stunning form at the moment. His Olympic adventure in Rio saw him finish just outside the medals but he show-cased his talent to the world with a very impressive fourth place. A week later he was runner-up in the D+D Czech Open. He is joined by three other fellow countrymen: the ‘Belgian Bomber’ Nicolas Colsaerts, who made his debut in the Ryder Cup in 2012 after coming runner-up for the second time in the KLM Open that year; European Tour rookie Thomas Detry; and amateur Alan de Bondt.
Ryder Cup talent gathers in Holland
Among the other top players in this year’s KLM Open are Sweden’s Robert Karlsson and Alex Noren, Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand), and the 2014 Ryder Cup team players Jamie Donaldson (Wales), Stephen Gallacher (Scotland) and Victor Dubuisson (France).
The Korean Y.E. Yang, who became the first Asian to win a Major with his victory in the US PGA Championship in 2009, is also coming to Holland together with compatriots Soomin Lee en Jeunghun Wang. Another couple of crowd-pleasers are the young Italian Matteo Manassero and Kiradech Aphibarnrat from Thailand, who incidentally was tied 5th in the Olympic Men’s Golf Event in Rio.
A number of former Dutch Open Champions are on the start list too, all in search of yet another title and a share of the 1.8 million euro prizemoney. Players like Peter Hanson (2012), Simon Dyson (2006, 2009 en 2011), Ross Fisher (2013) and Holland’s own Maarten Lafeber (2003) together with the only Dutchman currently playing on the European Tour, Joost Luiten (2013), who incidentally trains at The Dutch.
So far, the field includes thirteen players from the Netherlands, a mix of professionals and amateurs, who have received either a wildcard from Tournament Director, Daan Slooter, or a sponsor’s invitation. Home players already have a distinct advantage in the KLM Open this year as few of the Tour pros have yet experienced The Dutch.
The first day of play on Thursday, 8th September, will be a proud morning for the Made in Scotland team and Colin Montgomerie. It will also be an historic moment as The Dutch becomes only the eleventh course to host the International Dutch Championship since it began in 1912.
Wendy Hoad
For further information about the Dutch Open: www.klmopen.nl
PICTURED: (Main) Course designer of The Dutch, Colin Montgomerie playing in the Open Championship at Royal Troon in July. (Below): Thongchai Jaidee from Thailand, winner of the 100th French Open earlier this year, is one of the eyecatchers in the KLM Open at The Dutch. (Archive/Golfsupport.nl)