Luiten makes his move with new course record

The European Tour’s weatherman must be having a pretty dull time in Holland this week: twiddling his thumbs and looking at nothing but blue sky.  Sun, sun, sun and temperatures rising to nearly 30 degrees in Spijk.  And just when you think it can’t get any hotter, local hero, Joost Luiten shoots a new course record of 64 (7-under par) in the KLM Open on Friday to get himself into a tie for second place alongside England’s Mark Foster and Nino Bertasio from Italy on 9-under par.  Leading the tournament after 36 holes is a Tour buddy of Luiten’s, Bernd Wiesberger.  The Austrian is just one stroke ahead of the chasing pack which includes eleven players within three shots.

 

On day two, the tribunes were alive with enthusiastic golf fans keen to see their favourites on the European Tour tackle some tough pin-positions at the new venue of The Dutch.  Huge roars rippled through the heart of Holland when Dutchman Joost Luiten nearly holed his tee-shot at the 122-metre, par 3, 14th and so make a charge to catch overnight leader Ben Evans from England.  But after witnessing the birdie putts of Wiesberger and Jake Roos slither past the hole, his ball followed suit for a disappointing par.

 

 

Dutchman keeps gallery in suspense

 

Two holes later, Luiten seemed to dither, taking a lot of extra time on the tee of the 183-metre, par 3 hole over the water.  Perhaps the Indian Summer breeze was giving him doubts as to the clubbing.  Or was it a twinge of nerves?  After all, the first player to make a hole-in-one at the 16th does win a Volvo S90 worth 50,000 euros.   His caddie reassured him that he had got the right club in his hand.  Once settled, he then launched a cracking shot right down the flag.  The ball pitched near the pin and shot forward to the back of the green.  A par looked likely.  As he struck the putt, the gallery gasped and muttered: “Too soft – it’s short!”.  But Luiten’s ball just kept on rolling, rolling, rolling, and rolled right into the cup.  Birdie!  Holland’s number one golfer had holed a monster putt to get himself to 8-under par, just one stroke behind from leader Wiesberger.  The crowds were loving it.

 

Luiten, the 2013 Dutch Open Champion, finished his second round in style by making a birdie down the last.  The roar from the crowds in the grandstands must have woken the folk in Gorinchem.  His birdie at the 585-metre long, par 5 closing hole created a new course record at The Dutch: a bogey-free round of 64.  And that was a double delight for the many hundreds of fans enjoying the golf spectacle in the late afternoon sunshine in Spijk.

 

  

 

Impressive start for amateur Rowin Caron

 

It was another Dutchman who was causing quite a stir on the first day.  Twenty-three year old amateur Rowin Caron shot an impressive opening round of 66 to soar up the leaderboard into an 8-way tie for second place.  Alas, day two at The Dutch was not such a happy one for the aspiring pro.  He finished on one-over for the tournament and so missed the cut, which came at 1-under par, along with thirteen other players including the French Open winner, Thongchai Jaidee.  For Daan Huizing the cut was even more bitter.  He missed by one.  Only three of his countrymen survived to play at the weekend:  Joost Luiten and, by the skin of their teeth, Wil Besseling and the 2003 KLM Open Champion, Maarten Lafeber came in on the cut-line.

 

The organisers of the KLM Open (8-11 September) seem to have come up trumps with The Dutch as a new venue this year.  It’s a break from the ten traditional courses which have hosted the Dutch Open since 1912.  The perfectly manicured “inland links”, with its undulations, water hazards and super-slick greens, is providing an exciting challenge for the best players in Europe.  First reactions from the players sound very positive.  And with the unbelievably beautiful weather in Holland this week, the atmosphere couldn’t be better!

 

Wendy Hoad

 

 

READ MORE ABOUT the Dutch Opens

 

The final day of play on Sunday, 11 September begins at 07.40 Amsterdam time.

For further information and latest scores: www.klmopen.nl

 

© Photography by Golfing Inspirations