KLM Open 2014 #1

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Drie spelers van de European Tour, vijf Challenge Tour-spelers, twee spelers die actief zijn op de Pro Golf Tour, één teaching pro en zes amateurs. Dat is voorlopig de samenstelling van het contingent Nederlandse spelers dat meedoet aan het KLM Open.

Zeventien van de achtten Nederlandse spelers zijn inmiddels bekend. De laatste naam wordt zondag 7 september aan het lijstje toegevoegd. De hoogst genoteerde professional in de Twente Cup (6 en 7 september) die zich nog niet op andere wijze heeft gekwalificeerd, krijgt de laatste wildcard voor het KLM Open.

Vorig jaar deden zestien Nederlanders mee aan het KLM Open. Het aantal ligt dit jaar hoger omdat de Nederlandse Challenge Tour-spelers op de Kennemer kunnen deelnemen. Vorig jaar zat het schema van de Challenge Tour deelname aan het toernooi in eigen land in de weg.

Onder de achttien Nederlandse spelers is Ben Collier. De teaching pro van de Haagsche heeft een Schots vlaggetje achter zijn naam, maar zal door het publiek op de Kennemer worden beschouwd als een Nederlander. Collier, pro op de Haagsche, is sinds 2004 werkzaam en woonachtig in Nederland en plaatste zich voor het KLM Open door het PGA Kampioenschap te winnen.

Bij de achttien Nederlandse inschrijvingen voor het KLM Open zijn zes amateurs. Vijf van hen maken komende week hun European Tour-debuut. De 17-jarige Lars Keunen is de jongste van de Nederlandse spelers.

Een groot aantal Nederlandse deelnemers aan het KLM Open is geen garantie voor succes. In 2009 deed een recordaantal van twintig Nederlandse spelers mee, maar slechts twee haalden de cut. Op de Kennemer waren dat jaar alleen Robert-Jan Derksen (47) en Guido van der Valk (55) er in het weekend nog bij.

10 Euro

NGF-leden kunnen ter gelegenheid van de honderdste verjaardag van de NGF met korting een dagkaart voor het KLM Open bestellen. Zo'n dagkaart kost 10 euro. Bestellen kan op klmopen.nl.

Nederlanders in KLM Open 2014

Joost Luiten
Robert-Jan Derksen
Daan Huizing
Maarten Lafeber
Tim Sluiter
Taco Remkes
Wil Besseling
Robin Kind
Reinier Saxton
Floris de Vries
Ben Collier
Kevin Reints (amateur)
Severiano Prins (amateur)
Darius van Driel (amateur)
Vince van Veen (amateur)
Lars Keunen (amateur)
Jeroen Krietemeijer (amateur)
Winnaar wildcard Twente Cup

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Joost Luiten and Miguel Angel Jiménez launched the 2014 KLM Open in style on Monday by recreating their memorable ‘Dutch duel’ of 12 months ago at Kennemer Golf and Country Club, with Jiménez coming out on top this time.

The pair fought it out to the wire in last year’s KLM Open after Spaniard Jiménez caught the Dutchman, who had held a one shot overnight advantage, before Luiten eventually prevailed on the first hole of a play-off, much to the delight of the Dutch supporters who had waited ten years for a home winner.

Their fun rematch took place over seven holes at Kennemer Golf and Country Club, with Jiménez winning 1up, although it was a somewhat more laid back encounter than their tense tussle of a year ago.

“The match today was very nice and it showed the people watching that golf can be fun,” said Jiménez. “We had a good battle last year which was good for the tournament, but not so good for me.

“Today there were some jokes and we put the smiles on people’s faces again, so it was nice.”

Luiten scontinued: “It was good fun. There were a lot of people there for a Monday and we both enjoyed playing in front of them. It’s always good to show people what we do. I tried some of Miguel’s stretching too, although it’s more like dancing. Maybe next time I won’t do that on the first tee, but a couple of hours before instead.”

The pair were also part of sponsor KLM’s Champions' Flight, with Luiten flying to Geneva, Switzerland, to pick up Jiménez and the other players travelling from last week’s Omega European Masters to Amsterdam.

Unsurprisingly, Jiménez has his eye on another flight this week, with the prize for a hole in one on the par three 15th a trip into space courtesy of XCOR Space Expeditions.

“I like to fly and I’ve been flying around the world for 26 years now anyway, so it would be interesting to see the view from up there instead,” said Jiménez.

“The flight from Geneva was good fun too. We had a little putt in the sky and it has been an interesting start to the tournament already.”

Luiten added: “If you have KLM as the sponsor it is great to do thing. It’s different for the players and it showcases the brand, so it is win-win.

“This is a special week for me as defending champion so I’m trying to enjoy it and hopefully it will be another exciting tournament. I’d love to be up there again and maybe even battling it out with Miguel again.”

Luiten, who finished fourth on his last European Tour appearance in Italy a fortnight ago, is now bidding to become the first Dutchman in the modern era to win the KLM Open on more than one occasion, and only the second player after 1977 and 1978 champion, Bob Byman, to claim successive KLM Open titles since the tournament became part of The European Tour International Schedule in 1972. Returning to the scene of his most cherished victory, Luiten said he had fond memories of his contest down the stretch last year with the European Tour’s oldest champion.

“It came down to a match play situation last year and we both finished with par-bogey-par and then it was a play-off,” said Luiten. “In a play-off you know it can go any way. It’s like flipping a coin and this time it went my way. The 18th was playing really tough and I just made a really good par.

“I can’t really even remember the moment I won. I threw my putter in the air, because I’ve seen that on TV, but it took a while to sink in. It was great to see all the people going crazy though and my family being there. That was special.

“The win really helped grow the game of golf in this country, so it was a great thing to do.”

Both Luiten and Jiménez just missed out on a place in the European Team for this month’s Ryder Cup, but Jiménez, who has face the United States four times, tipped his younger rival to be part of the biennial contest at some point in the future.

“Joost is 28 years old and I played my first Ryder Cup at 35 years old, so he has plenty of time,” said Jiménez. “He has a good character and I think he will definitely play in the Ryder Cup.

“He played very well this year and didn’t quite get in the team, but I think he has the game and the character to play in it more than once.”

Read more at http://www.europeantour.c(...)#e09zPXt4m1gWJ4sr.99

twitter:

HDsportredactie twitterde op donderdag 11-09-2014 om 11:18:46 KLM Open is tijdelijk stilgelegd nadat Fabrizio Zanotti getroffen werd door een golfbal. De Paraguayaan wordt met een ambulance afgevoerd. reageer retweet

twitter:

KLMOpen twitterde op donderdag 11-09-2014 om 16:17:38 Hole-in-one van James Heath op hole 11! Helaas voor de Engelsman geen BMW of ruimtereis op deze hole... #KLMOpen reageer retweet