KLM Open: Joost Luiten Wins, Key Takeaways From Sunday
As Joost Luiten pleased his home fans with an outstanding final round and a win at the KLM Open, what are the key takeaways from an excellent week of European Tour action?
(Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
If the customer is always right, those who paid their way into the KLM Open on Sunday certainly got what they had hoped for.
Top Dutch player Joost Luiten put together an outstanding final round of play, demonstrating imperious iron play and outstanding touch with the putter, to claim victory at his home open for the second time in his relatively young career.
It’s not that the day was without drama, as with Luiten charging from behind that certainly wasn’t the case, but it always had a feeling of inevitability about it. Luiten was able to turn on the fireworks and it quickly became clear that he wasn’t going to be denied.
Away from the heroics of the local hero, his greatest challenge came from talented Austrian Bernd Wiesberger. The 30-year-old’s 65 was a clear reminder of his talents as it quickly became apparent that he is overdue a win in 2016.
Former KLM Open champion Peter Hanson was close to making a big statement of his own on Sunday too. Although he finished down the leaderboard in a tie for 16th thanks to mediocre second and third rounds, Hanson fired a 65 that could have been so much better if not for a double-bogey on his 71st hole.
What are the biggest stories and takeaways coming out of the KLM Open though? Let’s take a look at three of the leading contenders.
(Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Joost Luiten Has Nerves Of Steel
You often hear top European players describe the pressures of playing in their national tournament as equivalent to a fifth major in terms of pressure and intensity, and if we learned anything on Sunday it’s that Luiten has what it takes to close out a tournament.
Of course, Luiten had won on four previous occasions on the European Tour (including a KLM Open win back in 2013), but to claim his second home success by the age of 30 speaks volumes about the potential that Luiten possesses.
As a member at this week’s venue, The Dutch, nobody knew the course better than Luiten. You’d expect that to add its own pressures as the player has an expectation of what he should be able to achieve, but then add into the mix the hopes of every spectator on the property in the final round, and there haven’t been many rounds more impressive on tour this year than Luiten’s closing 63.
(Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Scott Hend Is A Man In Form
For the second week in a row, not only was Australia’s Scott Hend playing in the final group on Sunday, but he was the event’s leader after 54 holes. The 43-year-old may have failed to get over the line again, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t big things to come from the vet between now and the end of the season.
Having picked up only his second career European Tour win back in March at the True Thailand Classic, Hend is in a rich vein of late career form. As a steady and well-rounded player, it’s hard to see why it couldn’t continue for a while longer yet too.
If not for a two-over back nine on Sunday, Hend could have applied heavy pressure to Luiten. Still with a tied fourth placed finish in the bank he has nothing to be ashamed of. The Australian is now closing on the world’s top 50 and ranked in the top 20 of the Race to Dubai. Bigger opportunities are coming for Hend and if he can maintain this form he’ll take advantage of them.
(Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
The Dutch Is A Perfect Host
When a tournament is traditionally played over a rotation of courses and suddenly a more permanent home is decided upon for the event, a sense of trepidation is often understandable. In its first playing at The Dutch, it became clear that the KLM Open has no such problems though.
The event will return to the village of Spijk for the next three years, where the Colin Montgomerie designed course that was once the subject of a Ryder Cup bid should continue to shine.
Of course, the presence of a home favorite towards the top of the leaderboard played its part, but the atmosphere at the KLM was fantastic throughout the week. It made for a good test too, as the organizers had the flexibility to leave some more accessible pins on Sunday to make for a thrilling finish. Don’t be surprised to see more big names in attendance in 2017.
(Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
KLM Open – Final Leaderboard
1 Joost Luiten – 63 (-19)
2 Bernd Wiesberger – 65 (-16)
3 Byeong Hun An – 65 (-13)
T4 Scott Hend – 73 (-12)
T4 Alejandro Canizares – 68 (-12)
T4 David Horsey – 70 (-12)
T4 Ben Evans – 70 (-12)
T8 Mike Lorenzo-Vera – 68 (-11)
T8 Chris Hanson – 69 (-11)
European Tour action returns on Thursday as the players head to Monza and the Golf Club Milano for the lucrative Italian Open.
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