Two time Major Champion Bernhard Langer and German rising star Maximilian Kieffer are delighted to be on home soil as the Porsche European Open makes its return after a six year absence.
The prestigious event heads to Germany for the first time, having been held in the UK and Ireland every year since its inception in 1978, with Golf Resort Bad Griesbach hosting this year's edition.
The tournament has been contested by some of the sport's biggest names, with Sir Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle and Greg Norman among the previous winners.
Langer has himself won the event twice before, in 1985 and 1995, and is thrilled to see the competition return to the Race to Dubai.
The 58 year old, who designed the host course himself, said: "It’s wonderful to have a big championship like the European Open back on the European Tour.
"To have it in Germany is a bonus for the German guys and it’s great to have Porsche involved.Bernhard Langer
"This course was designed a while ago but it has grown in very nicely. I’ve been having a look round while I’ve been playing. It is in pretty good condition so I’m thrilled with it.
"We included the river which runs through here, and it comes into play on a couple of holes. It is a beautiful part of Germany nature-wise. We have some trees and everything you can look for.
"I think the players will like it, we have had a couple of Challenge Tour events here which have had good reports, so I think they will enjoy it.
"It is nice to test myself against the younger players every once in a while. It’s not my goal to play on the European Tour in the long run as I’m very happy on the Champions Tour. I’ve done the European Tour and PGA Tour for many years and I’ve done my time.
"I am proud to have this event on a course I designed. We used to play the German Open on a course I designed in Stuttgart so to have this event on another is fantastic."
Kieffer heads to Bad Griesbach hoping to make the cut at his 22nd consecutive stroke play event. If the German achieves the feat this week, it would be the longest active streak on the European Tour.
The 25 year old is happy to be back in Germany for this week's event. He said: "It’s great for us to have another event in Germany. It helps growing the game in our country and with our bid to host the Ryder Cup in 2022.
"For me that would be great and for the whole of German golf.
"It’s a great field. The European Open has not been played the last six years but it has a great history on The European Tour and hopefully it will continue to be a great tournament over the next few years in Germany.
"I’m playing very consistently. I don’t really know why. It’s great. There have been three or five times this year when I’ve felt like I’m not hitting it well on the range, but every day I wake up I feel I can play good golf. That’s what you want for your form to feel consistent.
"When I was ten or 11 I went to the Dutch Open with my parents and I met Bernhard Langer‘s son. He actually played in the tournament in the morning and played nine holes with us on another course with us and he was really nice.
"I’ve only seen him a few times since then because he is in the US, but it will be nice to see him again and talk to him again."
