Nicolas Colsaerts, Thomas Detry and Thomas Pieters will tee it up on home soil at the Soudal Open from May 12-15, 2022, with golf legend Jack Nicklaus also making an appearance as the guest of honour at the tournament in Belgium.
The event is the spear-headed by sports company Golazo, entrepreneur and golfer Vic Baron Swerts of Soudal and host venue Rinkven Golf Club.
The Soudal Open will give Belgian golfers and fans the opportunity to see DP World Tour stars in action over the four tournament days, with the opportunity for the wider public to discover and experience golf.
Soudal founder Vic Baron Swerts said: “As a global company, we are very proud to support a DP World Tour tournament in Belgium. As a title partner of this event, Soudal wants to celebrate golf and enjoy the moment in the spotlight of golf lovers in Belgium and abroad.
“Hosting such a tournament at my home club RInkven and hosting Jack Nicklaus there is the cherry on the cake.”
Bob Verbeeck, CEO of Golazo Group, added: “The interest in the sport of golf is on the rise in our country. This is due to the rising talent at the top and an excellent club infrastructure. With the Soudal Open we will now host a tournament at the top of the international level. This new event will be the showcase event for the sport and one of the top sports events in our yearly calendar.”
Dimitri Rombouts, President of Rinkven International Golf Club, said: “It is a great honour for Rinkven International Golf Club to be, once again, the host of such a prestigious event in the world of professional golf. This is a great recognition for our club, our members, the quality of our golf course and our premises and I thank Vic Swerts for his trust in our club.”
Thomas Pieters, who won his fifth title at the Portugal Masters last month, will be joined by his compatriots Colsaerts, a fellow former Ryder Cup player, and rising star Thomas Detry at next year’s Soudal Open.
“There is nothing better than playing a tournament at home,” said Pieters. “I am really happy to see Belgium returning to the Tour. It will also be a great honour to meet Jack Nicklaus, an absolute living golfing legend.”
Detry added: “I’m very excited to see a tournament back in Belgium on the new DP World Tour schedule. Playing at home in front of a crowd is undoubtedly going to be one of the highlights of my 2022 season and the added bonus of having Mr Nicklaus there guarantees this is an event not to miss.”
Colsaerts, a three-time winner on Tour, said: “I am really happy to see that Belgian fans will be able to join such an amazing DP World Tour event. I can’t wait to be there and play in front of my friends, family and fans.
“And what about Jack Nicklaus? It will be really impressive to receive the visit of a legend like him. I have been a member at his club, The Bear’s Club, in Jupiter, and that makes me even happier.”
On the Saturday of the Soudal Open there will be a special ‘Night with Jack’, and the 18-time Major Champion will also be signing autographs in the fan village over the weekend of the tournament.
“I greatly appreciated the Soudal Open extending an invitation to be a guest of the event next May,” said Nicklaus. “We have seen growth in the quality of professional golfers that Belgium has produced. That includes Ryder Cup participants such as Nicolas Colsaerts and Thomas Pieters, as well as strong talent from Belgium at the collegiate level. I am sure the Soudal Open will only add to the golf landscape in Belgium.”
Keith Waters, Chief Operating Officer of the European Tour group, said: “Belgium has such a rich golfing history dating back to the first Belgian Open in 1910, and we are delighted that the Soudal Open now returns on the DP World Tour as part of an exciting new era for global golf. The support of a country’s leading players is always vital to the success of a national Open, and Nicolas Colsaerts, Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry are terrific ambassadors not only for Belgian golf, but also for our Tour.”
Tournament Director Michael Jones added: “Having a world-wide renown title sponsor such as Soudal and with the professionalism of Golazo, I am convinced that we are in a great position to deliver an outstanding tournament, not only for the Belgian and international golf spectators but also for the competitors that will take part. And to have Jack Nicklaus attend the Soudal Open will be a lifetime experience to all.”
For tournament information, including tickets, please click here.
