The KLM Open will have a different date and venue when the historic event returns to the European Tour International Schedule in 2010.
The Netherlands’ most prestigious golf tournament will be played from September 9-12, 2010, at Hilversumsche Golf Club, which is again hosting the event after a four-year stint at Kennemer Golf & Country Club in Zandvoort.
The last time the KLM Open was held at Hilversumsche Golf Club was in 2005, when Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño captured his maiden European Tour title to become the third Spaniard to triumph at the course, following earlier wins for Miguel Angel Jiménez in 1994 and Seve Ballesteros in 1980.
Hilversumsche Golf Club first staged the KLM Open in 1974, when Scotland’s Brian Barnes captured the title, and it was also the host venue when Maarten Lafeber became the first and only Dutchman to win the event in 2003.
Daan Slooter, of tournament promoters THIS IS GOLF, said: “The new date gives us the opportunity to strengthen the field of players next year, as this year the event was played the week after the US PGA Championship in August. The fact that The European Tour granted our request is a clear signal that they are happy with how the tournament is being run. Not only has the KLM Open grown substantially in the past few years, but the organizers succeeded in maintaining the same level of prize money despite the economic downturn.”
The KLM Open will again be supported by its partners, KLM, ABN AMRO and KPMG. It is one of the Netherlands’ most popular and historic sporting events, and next year’s tournament will be the 91st edition.
The KLM Open has been a part of The European Tour International Schedule since 1972, when Australian Jack Newton won the inaugural event.
This year’s event was won by England’s Simon Dyson, who defeated Sweden’s Peter Hedblom and Ireland’s Peter Lawrie with a birdie at the first extra hole of a sudden death play-off.
