Holland's best peak again - same day, different tour

Challenge Tour golfer, Daan Huizing is making rather a habit of playing well on the same day as his European Tour compatriot Joost Luiten.  The first time it happened was on Sunday, 15th September 2013 when Luiten, Holland’s number one golfer, won his first KLM Open at the Kennemer G&CC.  It was a joyous moment for Dutch golf.  As the player from Rotterdam hurled his putter into the air in ecstasy, after holing out for glory on the final green at Zandvoort, news came in that Huizing was also celebrating victory in the Ukraine.  It was the Challenge Tour player’s second victory in a matter of weeks and would catapult him onto the main tour the following year.

 

During the Andalucia Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation a few weeks ago (19-22 October), a replay of that memorable day in 2013 looked to be on the cards.  Joost Luiten was in a head-to-head clash with tournament host Garcia.  It was a bitter battle which ended in triumph for the Spaniard on the very last green.  Victory by one shot saw Garcia claim his 14th European Tour title leaving a disappointed Luiten in second place on 11-under par, but nevertheless 222,220 euros richer.

 

Roller-coaster birthday for Huizing

 

Meanwhile in China, Daan Huizing was also cooking-up something rather special that day which also happened to be his 27th birthday.  On Sunday, 22nd October, the player from Soest in the Netherlands was enjoying a great tournament in the Foshan Open.  With four holes to go, he was piling on the pressure.  Leader Oliver Farr from Wales must have been constantly looking over his shoulder down the final stretch as the Dutchman made back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 to close the gap.

 

Alas, two bogeys then blemished the card of the player attached to the Golf Societeit de Lage Vuursche and he had to settle for a share of third place with England’s Ryan Evans.  Whilst his winnings of 27,355 euros bear little comparison with the third place prizemoney of 125,200 euros won by England’s Daniel Brooks in Spain that day, it did give his Order of Merit ranking a significant boost and that brings Huizing a step closer to his dream of playing once again full-time on the European Tour, alongside Joost Luiten.

 

Well done, Daan!  Proost Joost!

 

Wendy Hoad

 

 

READ MORE about Joost Luiten’s close-shave in Spain.

 

 

PICTURED: A moment of joy for Daan Huizing as he is crowned best amateur in the 2012 KLM Open.  © Archive photography by Golfing Inspirations