The European Tour starts again this Saturday: At the Porsche European Open in Winsen an der Luhe, fans can watch a professional golf tournament in this tournament series for the first time in 19 months.
The number of spectators on the North Course of the Green Eagle Golf Course is limited to a maximum of 2000, but this is also an occasion for the best German golfer Martin Kaymer to look at this tournament, endowed with 1.5 million euros, with optimism.
“I'm really looking forward to the atmosphere. The fans had to do without that for a long time. And we golfers too, ”said the 36-year-old Rhinelander. But the corona pandemic is still leaving its mark on this tournament. So that professionals from the United Kingdom could comply with the quarantine after entry, the tournament will not be held from Thursday to Sunday as planned, but from Saturday to Monday. Instead of the usual four rounds, the tournament will be shortened to three rounds.
In the field, which is led by the Mexican Abraham Ancer (17th in the world rankings) and the English defending champion Paul Casey (21), there are 18 Germans, 14 professionals and four amateurs, but almost all of them come to this home game without much tailwind.
Former world number one Kaymer, who is now only in 95th place, missed the cut in his last two appearances, at the PGA Championship on Kiawah Island and at the British Masters in The Belfry.
The second best German, Maximillian Kieffer from Düsseldorf (194th), even had to leave early in his last three tournaments.
Schmid changes to the professional camp
On the extremely long (7161 meters), with 15 water hazards at the 18 holes, officially the toughest course in Germany, many eyes are on the amateur Matthias Schmid. The 23-year-old Upper Palatinate from Maxhütte-Haidhof was praised as the best German golfer by national coach Ulrich Eckhardt last year. Not only did he defend his title as amateur European champion last weekend, he also proved last weekend that he can keep up with professionals.
Schmid won one of the twelve "Final Qualifying" sessions for the US Open in Dallas and is thus also qualified for this major, which will take place on the South Course at Torrey Pines in San Diego from June 17th to 20th. He will then compete at the BMW International Open in Eichenried (June 24-27). At the British Open (July 15 to 18) in Sandwich (England), the 1.93 meter tall Schmid will be part of the European amateur champion for the second time. It will be his last appearance as an amateur, after which he will switch to professional.